Kevin Ault, MD, comments on ACOG's updated maternal immunization guidance

The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) released updated guidance on maternal immunizations, reinforcing the importance of routine vaccination during pregnancy to protect both pregnant individuals and their infants. The Committee Statement was published February 18, 2026, in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Click here for full details of the updated changes.

In the video above, Kevin Ault, MD—co-author of the updated guidance, vice president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Western Michigan University Home Stryker MD School of Medicine, and former member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—highlights the key takeaways from the updates and reinforces the evidence behind the recommended maternal immunizations.

“It’s nice to have all those maternal immunization guidelines in one place,” Ault said. “ACOG has been in the business of maternal immunization guidelines for about 15 years or so, and originally it was just influenza, because that was the only vaccine we really recommended during pregnancy, and that became an issue with the 2009 pandemic. Shortly after that, we added pertussis. We had the Tdap booster to the maternal immunization schedule. And then now we have two newer vaccines. We have the RSV vaccine that was approved two or three years ago, and the COVID-19 vaccination. So, really, it got everything together in one place.”

The guidance was developed by ACOG’s Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group and emphasized that obstetrician–gynecologists and other obstetric care professionals should routinely assess patients’ vaccination status and recommend indicated vaccines.

The Committee Statement reaffirmed that immunization is an essential component of preventive care for adults, including pregnant individuals. Vaccination against influenza, pertussis, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was described as a safe and effective public health strategy that benefits both the pregnant individual and newborn through passive antibody transfer across the placenta.¹

Acknowledging new vaccines, such as the maternal vaccine for RSV, Ault pointed to the strong efficacy and safety data already associated with this preventive measure, as he stated many people have been impacted by the respiratory disease.

“RSV is a good one to talk about, because it’s so darn common,” said Ault. “You know, 1% or 2% of all newborns are going to be hospitalized this time of the year with RSV. At least, that’s how it was before we had these great prevention measures. So most parents are going to have experience with their own children, or niece or nephew, being in the emergency room or being hospitalized, or maybe even something worse with RSV. I’m the father of a premature child, and it’s been a few decades since she was born. We have a fair number of parents who have premature children, and they get warnings about [RSV]. Now we have options with the monoclonal antibodies, or more options, I should say.”

Click here for full details of the updated changes.

Reference:

Fitch J. ACOG updates maternal immunization guidance. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published February 18, 2026. Accessed February 19, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/acog-updates-maternal-immunization-guidance