New findings reveal that maternal RSV vaccination timing is key to safeguarding newborns, with enhanced protection observed when the vaccine is administered early in the CDC-recommended window. Study: Enhanced placental antibody transfer efficiency with longer interval between maternal RSV vaccination and birth (PDF) . Image Credit: CI Photos / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (PDF) , researchers evaluated the transfer efficiency of maternal anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antibodies to unborn neonates in mothers with different vaccination statuses (unvaccinated versus vaccinated) and among various vaccination timing points (early versus late in the recommended vaccination window).
They further evaluated neonatal outcomes associated with antibody transfer, examining correlations with morbidity and mortality based on these vaccination timing regimes. Study findings revealed that maternal vaccination substantially increased anti-RSV antibody titers (both maternal and placental) compared to those derived from natural RSV infections, highlighting the importance of vaccine-induced immunity for both previously infected and uninfected mothers. While RSV-attachment protein concentrations were statistically similar across vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts, the former cohort expressed substantially higher overall anti-RSV antibody titers.
Antibody transfer efficiency analyses revealed that maternal vaccinations admin.