Expert panel: Navigating shifts in maternal immunization guidance

As the healthcare community adjusts to several federal vaccine recommendation changes from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), many professionals have expressed frustration and confusion. Changes—including the move to “shared clinical decision-making” and the re-categorization of certain vaccines—have sent ripples through the industry, leading some providers to prioritize long-standing medical society recommendations over shifting federal guidance.

To explore these developments, you can watch the first episode of the series here, which discusses how these changes have created a paradigm shift in the vaccine space and the potential outcomes of such sweeping modifications.

Focus on maternal vaccination

Related to maternal immunization, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) recently released updated guidance to reinforce the importance of routine vaccination during pregnancy. The College emphasized that pregnant individuals face increased risks of maternal morbidity and mortality from influenza, alongside fetal risks such as congenital anomalies, spontaneous abortion, and preterm birth.¹

ACOG reported no evidence of adverse fetal effects from mRNA-derived vaccines, inactivated virus vaccines, bacterial vaccines, or toxoids, citing growing safety data to support their use. In addition to influenza, COVID-19, Tdap, and RSV, the updated guidance addresses triple panel screening for hepatitis B in pregnant patients aged 18 years or older.

This episode focuses on the maternal immunization aspects of these federal changes and how they intersect with updated schedules, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, which was endorsed by ACOG.²

You can view this full series, which explores several aspects of the schedule, here on our sister publication, Contagion.³

References:

1. Fitch J. ACOG updates maternal immunization guidance. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published February 18, 2026. Accessed March 5, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/acog-updates-maternal-immunization-guidance
2. Fitch J. American Academy of Pediatrics releases 2026 childhood immunization schedule. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published January 26, 2026. Accessed March 4, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/american-academy-of-pediatrics-releases-2026-childhood-immunization-scheduled
3. Clinical Insights: Childhood Vaccine Schedule Changes. Contagion. Published March 3, 2026. Accessed March 6, 2026. https://www.contagionlive.com/roundtables/clinical-insights-childhood-vaccine-schedule-changes