Two of the best ways to help protect your baby from RSV

If you’re pregnant or caring for a newborn, RSV probably feels bigger than just another seasonal virus. Babies have tiny airways, and when they get sick, it can escalate quickly.

No parent wants to end up in the hospital because of a winter respiratory bug. Fortunately, there are proven ways to reduce the risk of severe RSV. In Utah, they’re already helping keep babies out of the hospital.

Utah is No. 1 in the nation in the number of babies protected against RSV

After awareness efforts by Intermountain Children’s Health, Utah babies with RSV protection are now nine times less likely to be hospitalized. And if they are hospitalized, they’re five times less likely to need intensive care to help them breathe.

For parents, that difference means fewer nights in the hospital, fewer breathing treatments, and fewer moments wondering whether your baby is getting enough oxygen. Prevention doesn’t eliminate every illness. But it can dramatically reduce the chances of facing the most severe version of RSV.

“RSV protection is a game-changer for babies and their families,” said Katrina Jensen is a pediatric nurse with Intermountain Children’s Health in Salt Lake City. “Having an infant with RSV is very stressful for parents, especially when the baby needs hospitalization or a ventilator to help them breathe. Protecting your baby against RSV can really improve lives for infants and families and save health care costs.”

So what should you actually do? It comes down to timing. There are two of the best ways to help protect your baby.

Understand why RSV can be serious for babies

RSV stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It spreads easily through coughs, sneezes, close contact, and shared surfaces. Babies often catch it from older siblings, daycare settings, or well-meaning adults with mild cold symptoms.

In older kids and adults, RSV usually looks like a common cold. In babies, it can move into the lungs and cause bronchiolitis – a swelling of the small airways that makes breathing harder.

Every year in the United States, RSV is linked to thousands of hospitalizations, hundreds of deaths, and millions of clinic visits in children under age 5. But the youngest infants are at the highest risk of severe illness, especially during their first few months of life.

Signs that RSV may be becoming more serious include fast breathing, pulling in at the ribs when breathing, wheezing, difficulty feeding, or unusual sleepiness. If you ever notice those symptoms, call your pediatrician.

Know when RSV season starts in Utah

In Utah, RSV season typically begins in the fall and continues through early spring. That timing is important. Babies born just before or during RSV season may be in their most vulnerable window when virus activity is highest.

RSV vaccines became widely available to expectant mothers and infants in the 2024 – 2025 RSV season. At first, many parents simply didn’t know these options existed. That’s why Intermountain Health worked with pediatricians, obstetricians, and mom-and-baby care providers across Utah to raise awareness.

When families have clear information and access, they act. Utah’s No. 1 ranking reflects what happens when prevention becomes part of routine care conversations.

Option one: Get the RSV vaccine during pregnancy

If you’re pregnant, one of the best opportunities to protect your baby happens before birth.

Expectant moms in their third trimester of pregnancy – between 32 and 36 weeks gestation – can get the maternal RSV vaccine. The antibodies you make are passed on to your baby and help protect them during their first vulnerable months of life.

The vaccine does not cause RSV. It helps your immune system build protective antibodies that cross the placenta before delivery. Those antibodies can provide early protection while your baby’s own immune system is still developing.

If you’re approaching that 32 – 36-week window, ask your OB or midwife about timing. A simple question works: “Am I in the right window for the RSV vaccine?”

Option two: Ask about Nirsevimab for your baby

If you didn’t receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy, there is another strong option.

Infants whose moms didn’t receive the shot during pregnancy, as well as those born outside of RSV season (between April and September), can get Nirsevimab monoclonal antibodies in a shot.

What “No. 1” means: fewer RSV hospitalizations and ICU stays in Utah

Utah’s No. 1 ranking proves prevention is reaching families early – during prenatal visits and newborn checkups – when timing is everything. That means more parents are hearing about RSV options before the season peaks.

When more babies are protected ahead of time, the outcome is straightforward: fewer severe cases. That shows up as:

• Fewer hospital stays
• Fewer ICU admissions for breathing support
• Less disruption for families

That’s the goal of RSV prevention: keeping more babies in the “recover at home” category, not the hospital category.

What to ask your doctor about RSV prevention for your baby

If you’re pregnant, ask about the RSV vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks. And if your baby is already born, ask your pediatrician whether Nirsevimab makes sense this season.

At Intermountain Health, we believe prevention is one of the most powerful forms of care. By raising awareness and making RSV protection accessible, we’re helping Utah families navigate RSV season with a plan.

To learn more about children’s health or to find a provider, visit intermountainhealth.org/childrens-health.