Respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV, is a common viral infection.
It affects the upper and lower Airways and can cause severe illness. The virus spreads through droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze. You can also catch RSV by touching a contaminated surface that has virus on it, then by touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
Most children experience at least one RSV infection in their first two years of life.
RSV can be severe in children.
It is a leading cause of hospitalisation in babies less than six months of age.
Symptoms may include a runny nose, cough, a sore throat, a fever, wheezing and difficulty breathing. If symptoms worsen, children are at risk of developing complications from RSV such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis, infection or inflammation of the lungs and Airways.
The maternal RSV vaccination is available under the National Immunisation Program.
The maternal vaccine is free for pregnant women and recommended between 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Getting the RSV vaccination whilst pregnant protects your baby from becoming very unwell with RSV from birth until around six months of age. You may also receive RSV vaccine at the same time as other pregnancy vaccines, including the whooping cough and flu vaccines.
When you have the RSV vaccine during pregnancy, the antibodies in your blood cross the placenta into your baby's blood to give them protection against the disease. This reduces the risk that your baby becomes unwell and needs to be hospitalised. The recommended RSV vaccine is safe for pregnant women and their babies and does not increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. You may experience mild reactions to the vaccine, which usually disappear within a few days. Common reactions include redness or soreness at the injection site, headache, a mild fever and tiredness. Paracetamol may be used if you feel unwell after the immunisation.
Always talk to your health professional if you have any questions about vaccines during pregnancy.
For more information about your state and territory RSV Infant Protection program, check your health department website. For more information about maternal vaccinations, visit health.gov.au/maternalvaccinations