SMFM Continues to Recommend Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV Vaccine During Pregnancy

As the experts in high-risk pregnancy, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) strongly disagrees with the changes that were implemented in the proceedings of the June 2025 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. The ACIP conducted votes on vaccine items that had not been reviewed by the relevant expert work groups and allowed presentations without appropriate scientific references.

Today’s ACIP vote to limit influenza vaccine options in pregnancy is based on disproven and inaccurate claims about thimerosal. The ACIP recommendations disregard decades of scientific evidence supporting the safety of thimerosal and the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine. These new recommendations will impose unnecessary barriers to vaccine access and increase the risk for pregnant patients and other vulnerable populations.

Additionally, the federal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations were made outside of the formal ACIP proceedings and without the input from the relevant work groups, despite evidence presented the previous day supporting the safety, efficacy, and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.

Today’s ACIP discussion and votes do not change SMFM’s recommendations for immunization during pregnancy. All pregnant people should receive the influenza vaccine in the formulation that is available to them, including those with thimerosal. SMFM also reaffirms that all pregnant patients should receive the COVID-19 vaccine or booster. Finally, SMFM reaffirms that the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is safe and effective in pregnancy.

Immunization is a proven strategy to prevent severe disease and death. This week’s ACIP proceedings allowed recommendations based on biased and unscientific theories and pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of pregnant people, their children, and their families.

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About SMFM   
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), founded in 1977, is the medical professional society for obstetricians who have additional training in high-risk, complicated pregnancies. SMFM represents more than 6,500 members who care for high-risk pregnant people and provides education, promotes research, and engages in advocacy to reduce disparities and optimize the health of high-risk pregnant people and their families. SMFM and its members are dedicated to optimizing maternal and fetal outcomes and assuring medically appropriate treatment options are available to all patients.   

Media Contact: Greg Phillips, Director of Communications, Press@smfm.og