Should This Pregnant Woman Get the RSV Vaccine?

Charles P. Vega, MD

Disclosures

November 28, 2023

You are seeing a 34-year-old woman for her first prenatal visit. She complains of a 3-day history of nasal congestion, wet cough, and fatigue. She believes that she caught an upper respiratory infection from her daughter, who is 6 years of age and was sick last week. The patient denies any fever or dyspnea.

The patient is estimated to be at 6 4/7 weeks' gestational age. She previously had two pregnancies which she carried to term. Her children are 6 and 4 years of age and healthy. She had pregnancy-induced hypertension with the last pregnancy, and her blood pressure returned to normal after delivery.

She is up-to-date on all adult vaccines. She has received four doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and received the influenza vaccine on time 2 months ago. Tdap was updated 4 years ago.

Her vital signs today include temperature 36.9 °C, heart rate 68 beats/min, blood pressure 122/65 mm Hg, respirations 12, and O2 saturation 98% on room air. Her body mass index is 22. The rest of her physical examination is normal.

The patient tells you that she is interested in receiving the maternal RSV vaccine now. Her older child was admitted to the hospital for RSV bronchiolitis at age 4 months. She says, "If I can save my kids that degree of suffering, then I will do it."

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