A GP is urging pregnant women in Hampshire to come forward for a new vaccination to help protect against an illness that can affect the lungs of their unborn baby.

A new national respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine programme started this week and is being offered to women who are 28 weeks or more pregnant.

Despite infecting around 90 per cent of children within the first two years of life, RSV is relatively unknown among the public.

It typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms. However, it can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia and infant bronchiolitis which can result in hospital admissions.

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Dr Charlotte Hutchings, a GP in Hampshire, said: “We know pregnancy can be quite overwhelming when you’re not only looking after yourself, but doing the best you can for your unborn baby.

“Often there is a lot of advice given and it can be confusing to know what to follow.

“In the UK we have a proud history of successful vaccination programmes, which over decades has seen once common diseases such as polio and diphtheria eradicated.

“This new RSV vaccine has been robustly tested and is proven to help newborn babies fight off the virus should they become ill with it in the first few years of their life.

“By giving the vaccine to a pregnant woman, the antibodies are passed on to their unborn child in the womb, so they are born with better immunity against RSV.

“I would encourage all eligible pregnant women to take up the offer of the vaccination, or to talk to your midwife if you have any questions or concerns.”

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The RSV vaccine will also be available for those aged over 75 from September 1. These are the groups at the greatest risk from RSV, based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Alongside RSV, from this week pregnant women can also come forward for their seasonal flu vaccination. Pregnant women can become more ill from infections such as the flu because pregnancy changes how the body responds. 

Young babies also have a higher risk of getting seriously ill if they get flu. 

Studies have shown that it is safe to have a flu vaccine during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up until labour.

Women who have had a flu vaccine while pregnant also pass some protection on to their babies. This lasts for the first few months after they're born, when they are particularly at risk from flu.

It's safe to breastfeed if you had the flu vaccine while pregnant.

The COVID-19 vaccination will also be available for pregnant women from October 3. Further details will be available as the programme is rolled out. Pregnant women are also eligible to have the whooping cough vaccine around the time of the 20-week scan.

Whooping cough is a serious infection that causes long bouts of coughing and choking, making it hard to breathe. It is a highly infectious, serious illness that can lead to complications such as pneumonia in young babies. Having the vaccination helps to protect babies from becoming seriously unwell.

To find out more about vaccinations in pregnancy, visit nhs.uk/vaccination.