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Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Clinical considerations for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease in infants.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org; Joseph, NT; Kuller, JA; Louis, JM; Hughes, BL
Published in: Am J Obstet Gynecol
February 2024

Respiratory syncytial virus is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract illness globally in children aged <5 years. Each year, approximately 58,000 hospitalizations in the United States are attributed to respiratory syncytial virus. Infants aged ≤6 months experience the most severe morbidity and mortality. Until recently, prevention with the monoclonal antibody, palivizumab, was only offered to infants with high-risk conditions, and treatment primarily consisted of supportive care. Currently, 2 products are approved for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus in infants. These include the Pfizer bivalent recombinant respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F protein subunit vaccine, administered seasonally to the pregnant person between 32 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation, and the monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab, administered to infants aged up to 8 months entering their first respiratory syncytial virus season. With few exceptions, administering both the vaccine to the pregnant person and the monoclonal antibody to the infant is not recommended. All infants should be protected against respiratory syncytial virus using one of these strategies. Key considerations for pregnant individuals include examining available safety and efficacy data, weighing accessibility and availability, and patient preferences for maternal vaccination vs infant monoclonal antibody treatment. It will be critical for maternal-fetal medicine physicians to provide effective and balanced counseling to aid patients in deciding on a personalized approach to the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus in their infants.

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Published In

Am J Obstet Gynecol

DOI

EISSN

1097-6868

Publication Date

February 2024

Volume

230

Issue

2

Start / End Page

B41 / B49

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
  • Pregnancy
  • Perinatology
  • Palivizumab
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Child
 

Citation

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Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org, ., Joseph, N. T., Kuller, J. A., Louis, J. M., & Hughes, B. L. (2024). Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Clinical considerations for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease in infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 230(2), B41–B49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.046
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org, Brenna L., Naima T. Joseph, Jeffrey A. Kuller, Judette M. Louis, and Brenna L. Hughes. “Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Clinical considerations for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease in infants.Am J Obstet Gynecol 230, no. 2 (February 2024): B41–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.046.
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org, Joseph NT, Kuller JA, Louis JM, Hughes BL. Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Clinical considerations for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease in infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Feb;230(2):B41–9.
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org, Brenna L., et al. “Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Clinical considerations for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease in infants.Am J Obstet Gynecol, vol. 230, no. 2, Feb. 2024, pp. B41–49. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.046.
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org, Joseph NT, Kuller JA, Louis JM, Hughes BL. Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Clinical considerations for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus disease in infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Feb;230(2):B41–B49.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Obstet Gynecol

DOI

EISSN

1097-6868

Publication Date

February 2024

Volume

230

Issue

2

Start / End Page

B41 / B49

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
  • Pregnancy
  • Perinatology
  • Palivizumab
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Child