AWHONN Practice Alerts
Using current evidence-based literature, the practice alert will identify the issue and associated risks, recommendations, and benefits of strategies for nurses, and appropriate references to guide practitioners in a timely manner.

Date: January 28, 2024
Reason for Alert: Administration of Arexvy, the GSK RSV vaccine that is not FDA approved for pregnant persons, has been reported.

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AWHONN Practice Alert

Vaccination Resources

Flu
Tdap
COVID-19
RSV

Maternal Immunization Task Force Resources  

Immunization for Pregnant Women: A Call to Action
ACOG Maternal Immunization Newsletter: August 2023

Free Training for Clinicians

ACOG developed the “Inform to Empower: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence One Conversation at a Time training” to help clinicians have effective conversations with their patients about COVID-19 vaccines. Training highlights include evidence-based patient communication strategies such as:

  • Motivational interviewing
  • Techniques for dispelling myths and misinformation
  • Tips for creating a culture of vaccine confidence among staff, and peers.

This free training is certified for Continuing Medical Education (CME) for 1.5 credits and is accessible through ACOG. The training is accessible to non-ACOG members with free and simple account creation.

GBS Vaccine

Pfizer Inc. announced that its investigational Group B Streptococcus (GBS) vaccine candidate, GBS6 or PF-06760805, received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of invasive GBS disease due to the vaccine serotypes in newborns and young infants by active immunization of their mothers during pregnancy. Please see press release.

Streptococcus (GBS) is a common bacterium that can cause serious medical conditions in the first three months of life that include sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. About one of four pregnant persons carry GBS bacteria, which can be passed to their infants prior and during birth 1.  Each year there are an estimated 410,000 GBS cases worldwide, which result in approximately  147,000 stillbirths and infant deaths each year

1-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Group B Strep (GBS): Fast Facts.” Accessed 31 January 2022. Page last reviewed 11 June 2020. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/groupbstrep/about/fast-facts.html

2- World Health Organization. “Group B Streptococcus infection causes an estimated 150,000 preventable stillbirths and infant deaths every year.” Accessed 31 January 2022. Page last reviewed 5 November 2017. Available at https://www.who.int/news/item/05-11-2017-group-b-streptococcus-infection-causes-an-estimated-150-000-preventable-stillbirths-and-infant-deaths-every-year

Update on Global Measles

According to the World Health Organization’s provisional measles and rubella surveillance data (2022), global measles cases increased by 79% from January to February 2022 compared to 2021 due to decreased/interrupted immunization during the Covid-19 pandemic. Severe complications leading to hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis, death, and complications during pregnancy have been directly linked to measles. Recognizing the signs and symptoms, and increasing immunization rates, will help curb global measles outbreaks.

The CDC (2022) has a guideline to help healthcare clinicians speak to parents on the importance of maintaining routine immunizations. It allows clinicians to reflect on their communication style as it provides key points on delivery methods when conversing with parent(s) about routine immunizations. This guideline is among the many resources within the Measles Outbreak Toolkit provided by the CDC.

Immunization for Pregnant Women: A Call to Action

from the American Academy of Family Physicians; American College of Nurse-Midwives; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; and Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

Join AWHONN, AAFP, ACOG and ACNM in recommending and advocating that pregnant women receive all recommended vaccines at the appropriate time during each pregnancy. Read our joint Call to Action on Immunization for Pregnant Women

Keep connected with AWHONN on updates
to our vaccine resources page.