A MULTI-SEASON, REPEATED CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY STUDY ON MATERNAL AWARENESS, IMMUNIZATION PREFERENCES AND UPTAKE DRIVERS FOR RSV PROTECTION IN INFANTS IN GERMANY (2022-2026)
Author(s)
Caroline Lade, PhD1, Lea Johanna Bayer, PhD1, Julia Schiffner-Rohe, MSc1, Christof von Eiff, MD1, Diana Mendes, PhD2, Amy Law, PharmD, MS3.
1Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Berlin, Germany, 2Pfizer Ltd., Tadworth, United Kingdom, 3Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, USA.
1Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Berlin, Germany, 2Pfizer Ltd., Tadworth, United Kingdom, 3Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Maternal RSVpreF vaccine and nirsevimab for infants are authorized in the EU for protection of infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In June 2024, Germany’s Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommended nirsevimab - yet little is known about maternal immunization preference. This study assessed pregnant women’s RSV awareness, immunization preferences and uptake drivers before and after STIKO recommendation.
METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional surveys, as part of IPSOS syndicated RSV study, were conducted in Germany across four consecutive RSV seasons (October 2022-March 2026), at the start and end of each season. Eligible participants included women aged ≥18 years who were currently pregnant, trying to conceive, or had been pregnant during the past 12 months at the time of the survey. This analysis reports descriptive findings among pregnant women on RSV awareness, immunization preference and uptake drivers for available RSV immunization options.
RESULTS: Among 481 pregnant women (mean age: 32.4 years), awareness of RSV and related risk factors generally increased over the past four seasons. If provided with an immunization choice, preference for maternal vaccination over direct infant immunization increased from 49-50% (RSV seasons 22/23 and 23/24) to 65-66% (RSV seasons 24/25 and 25/26). Across RSV seasons, key drivers for maternal vaccination included prevention of severe disease (28-41%), infant safety (27-41%), safety for pregnancy (17-40%), and government recommendations (24-31%). Drivers for direct infant immunization included prevention of RSV infections in babies (17-38%), protection against RSV (22-39%), minimal short-term side effects (10-26%), and government recommendations (10-23%).
CONCLUSIONS: Among pregnant women in Germany, awareness of RSV in infants has increased, accompanied by high preference for maternal RSV vaccination specifically in most recent seasons. Providing immunization strategies that accommodate diverse maternal preferences may support achieving higher immunization uptake, thereby protecting more infants against RSV in Germany.
METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional surveys, as part of IPSOS syndicated RSV study, were conducted in Germany across four consecutive RSV seasons (October 2022-March 2026), at the start and end of each season. Eligible participants included women aged ≥18 years who were currently pregnant, trying to conceive, or had been pregnant during the past 12 months at the time of the survey. This analysis reports descriptive findings among pregnant women on RSV awareness, immunization preference and uptake drivers for available RSV immunization options.
RESULTS: Among 481 pregnant women (mean age: 32.4 years), awareness of RSV and related risk factors generally increased over the past four seasons. If provided with an immunization choice, preference for maternal vaccination over direct infant immunization increased from 49-50% (RSV seasons 22/23 and 23/24) to 65-66% (RSV seasons 24/25 and 25/26). Across RSV seasons, key drivers for maternal vaccination included prevention of severe disease (28-41%), infant safety (27-41%), safety for pregnancy (17-40%), and government recommendations (24-31%). Drivers for direct infant immunization included prevention of RSV infections in babies (17-38%), protection against RSV (22-39%), minimal short-term side effects (10-26%), and government recommendations (10-23%).
CONCLUSIONS: Among pregnant women in Germany, awareness of RSV in infants has increased, accompanied by high preference for maternal RSV vaccination specifically in most recent seasons. Providing immunization strategies that accommodate diverse maternal preferences may support achieving higher immunization uptake, thereby protecting more infants against RSV in Germany.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EPH43
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Policy & Regulatory, Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
Pediatrics, Respiratory-Related Disorders (Allergy, Asthma, Smoking, Other Respiratory), Vaccines