A study of more than 15,000 infants found no statistically significant difference between vaccination during pregnancy and post-birth nirsevimab in preventing RSV infection or hospitalisation.
A new study suggests that two approaches to protecting babies from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, may offer broadly similar benefits when used in full-term infants: vaccinating mothers during pregnancy or giving newborns nirsevimab, a long-acting antibody treatment after birth. The research, published in JAMA Network Open and reported by SANA, found that both strategies were associated with lower rates of RSV infection and fewer hospital admissions than receiving no protection at all.
The study was carried out by researchers at the Vaccine Research Centre within Kaiser Permanente Northern California in the United States, led by Karen B. Jacobson. It compared data from 15,124 infants after the groups were matched on specified criteria. According to the report, there was no statistically significant difference between maternal vaccination and nirsevimab in preventing RSV infection or RSV-related hospitalisation, suggesting that either option can be an effective preventive measure for babies born at term.
That finding fits with current public-health guidance in the United States. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says nirsevimab is recommended for infants younger than eight months entering their first RSV season, while the RSV vaccine Abrysvo is recommended for pregnant people between 32 and 36 weeks’ gestation to help protect infants through antibodies passed across the placenta. The CDC has also reported on early coverage and use of both interventions during the 2023-24 RSV season, underlining the effort to widen protection against a virus that can cause severe lower-respiratory illness in young babies.
RSV is common, but it can be particularly dangerous in the first months of life, when infants are most vulnerable to complications that can lead to hospital care. The new study adds to the evidence that either maternal vaccination or post-birth antibody protection can reduce that risk, while leaving clinicians and families to decide which approach is most appropriate in line with medical advice and local guidance.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
