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RSV Vaccine in Pregnancy: When to Get It in the US and UK

Enter your due date to see when the RSV vaccine in pregnancy is offered in the US or UK, how it fits with the baby antibody, and the side effects.

Quick answer: In the US, the CDC recommends one dose of the RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) at 32 to 36 weeks of pregnancy, given from September through January in most of the continental US, and does not recommend another dose in a later pregnancy. If you do not get it, or your baby is born less than 14 days after it, the CDC recommends an RSV antibody for your baby if they are born during or entering their first RSV season. In the UK, the NHS offers the vaccine from 28 weeks, at any time of year and in every pregnancy, and gives RSV antibodies only to specific groups, such as babies born before 32 weeks.

Reviewed by: Whispie Editorial Team Evidence-Based Parenting Research

Published: 2026-09-25

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or doctor about your child.

Sources: WHO, CDC, AAP and NHS guidance. Recommendations differ between countries — for local advice see the NHS or CDC.

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RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) protection for babies comes in two forms: a vaccine you get in pregnancy, Abrysvo, so that your baby is protected from birth, and an antibody injection for the baby, such as nirsevimab or clesrovimab. The US and the UK use them differently, so when you are offered the vaccine, and whether your baby gets the antibody, depends on where you live.

Enter your due date and choose your country. The planner turns the official week range into calendar dates for your pregnancy, checks them against the September to January vaccine months in the US, and shows what the rule says about the antibody for your baby.

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If you do not get the vaccine, or your baby is born less than 14 days after it, the CDC recommends an RSV antibody (nirsevimab or clesrovimab) for babies younger than 8 months who are born during or entering their first RSV season. Most babies born 14 or more days after the vaccine do not need it.
Alaska and tropical areas (for example southern Florida, Guam, Hawaii and Puerto Rico) can have different timing: ask your provider (CDC).

Cost: The CDC notes that non-grandfathered private health plans are required to cover ACIP-recommended vaccines with no cost-sharing (Affordable Care Act, section 2713). Nirsevimab for babies is covered by the Vaccines for Children program.
Next pregnancy: If you had the RSV vaccine in an earlier pregnancy, the CDC does not recommend another dose; your baby should get nirsevimab instead.

Vaccine in pregnancy or antibody for the baby?

In the US, most babies need only one of the two. The CDC recommends an RSV antibody (nirsevimab or clesrovimab) for babies younger than 8 months who are born during or entering their first RSV season, typically fall through spring, if the mother did not get the vaccine in pregnancy, if her vaccination status is unknown, or if the baby is born within 14 days of the vaccine. Except in rare circumstances, the CDC says the antibody is not needed for most babies born 14 or more days after the vaccine.

If your 32 to 36 week window falls outside September to January, when the CDC recommends the vaccine in most of the continental US, the CDC recommends the antibody for your baby if they are born during or entering their first RSV season. In a later pregnancy, the CDC does not currently recommend another dose of the vaccine; your baby should get nirsevimab instead.

In the UK, most babies do not get an antibody: for most babies, protection comes from the vaccine in pregnancy, which the NHS offers to all pregnant women from 28 weeks. The UKHSA Green Book recommends RSV antibodies only for two groups: babies born before 32 weeks, who are unlikely to benefit from the vaccine in pregnancy, and babies and young children at high risk of severe RSV, such as those with chronic lung disease of prematurity, haemodynamically significant congenital heart disease or severe combined immunodeficiency.

For those high-risk babies and children, the Green Book recommends the antibody each season and says it should be offered whether or not the mother was vaccinated in pregnancy. Unlike in the US, the Green Book also says the vaccine should be offered in each pregnancy.

Side effects and safety

In both countries, Abrysvo is the only RSV vaccine for use in pregnancy. The CDC says GSK's Arexvy and Moderna's mResvia are not approved for use during pregnancy; in the UK, they are licensed for older adults only.

In the US, the FDA label for Abrysvo lists the most common reactions in pregnant individuals as pain at the injection site (40.6%), headache (31.0%), muscle pain (26.5%) and nausea (20.0%). The label also reports a numerical imbalance in preterm births in two clinical studies: 5.7% in the Abrysvo group (207 of 3,659) and 4.7% in the placebo group (172 of 3,646). The FDA states that available data are insufficient to establish or exclude a causal relationship between preterm birth and Abrysvo.

In the UK, the UKHSA Green Book, summarising the MHRA-approved product information for Abrysvo, lists the most common reactions in pregnant women in the clinical trial as vaccination site pain (41%), headache (31%) and myalgia, or muscle pain (27%). The product information lists premature birth among the major birth outcomes assessed: 207 (6%) in the Abrysvo group and 172 (5%) in the placebo group. As a precaution until more data are available, it says Abrysvo should be given between weeks 28 and 36 of pregnancy to minimise any potential risk of extremely premature birth.

The Green Book adds that there was no signal for any imbalance in premature births in high-income countries of Europe and North America, and that no safety signals for preterm birth have been seen in UK programme monitoring to date.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I get the RSV vaccine in pregnancy, and is 37 weeks too late?

It depends on where you live. In the US, the CDC recommends one dose from 32 weeks 0 days through 36 weeks 6 days of pregnancy, given from September through January in most of the continental US; Alaska and tropical areas can have different timing. At 37 weeks you are past the CDC window, and if you did not get the vaccine, the CDC recommends an RSV antibody for your baby if they are born during or entering their first RSV season. In the UK, the NHS offers the vaccine from 28 weeks at any time of year, ideally in week 28 or soon after. The UK licence runs to 36 weeks, but the vaccine can still be given later, up until labour, though it may give less protection.

Is the RSV vaccine in pregnancy free?

In the UK, yes: the national RSV programme is centrally purchased and provided free of charge (UKHSA Green Book). In the US, the CDC notes that non-grandfathered private health plans are required to cover ACIP-recommended vaccines, which include this one, with no cost-sharing (Affordable Care Act, section 2713). For your baby's antibody in the US, the CDC says nirsevimab is covered by the Vaccines for Children program, and that most people with Medicaid or CHIP coverage will be guaranteed coverage of recommended vaccines at no cost.

What are the side effects of the RSV vaccine in pregnancy?

In the US, the FDA label lists pain at the injection site (40.6%), headache (31.0%), muscle pain (26.5%) and nausea (20.0%) as the most common reactions in pregnant individuals. In the UK, the product information lists vaccination site pain (41%), headache (31%) and muscle pain (27%). Both labels also report on preterm birth: the FDA label gives 5.7% with Abrysvo and 4.7% with placebo, and states that available data are insufficient to establish or exclude a causal relationship; the UK product information gives 207 (6%) with Abrysvo and 172 (5%) with placebo.

RSV vaccine in pregnancy vs the newborn antibody: does my baby need both?

In the US, usually not. The CDC recommends the antibody (nirsevimab or clesrovimab) for babies younger than 8 months born during or entering their first RSV season if the mother did not get the vaccine, her vaccination status is unknown, or the baby is born within 14 days of the vaccine; except in rare circumstances, most babies born 14 or more days after the vaccine do not need it. In the UK, most babies get no antibody, because protection comes from the vaccine in pregnancy. The UK gives antibodies only to babies born before 32 weeks and to babies and young children at high risk of severe RSV, and for the high-risk group it is offered whether or not the mother was vaccinated.

Do I need the RSV vaccine again in my next pregnancy?

It depends on the country. In the US, if you had the RSV vaccine in an earlier pregnancy, the CDC does not recommend another dose at this time; your baby should get nirsevimab instead. In the UK, the UKHSA Green Book says the vaccine should be offered in each pregnancy.

Sources: CDC — RSV Vaccine Guidance for Pregnant Women · CDC — RSV Immunization Guidance for Infants and Young Children · CDC — Immunizations to Protect Infants (RSV) · CDC — Preventive Services Coverage · NHS — Vaccinations in pregnancy · UKHSA — Green Book, Respiratory syncytial virus chapter (3 June 2026) · FDA — Abrysvo label (DailyMed) · MHRA — Abrysvo Summary of Product Characteristics (eMC)