ACOG said its schedule recommends routine maternal immunization against influenza, COVID-19, Tdap and respiratory syncytial virus when patients are eligible. The CDC pregnancy-vaccination table, last updated on 22 August 2025, lists influenza, Tdap and RSV recommendations but says "No guidance/not applicable" for COVID-19 in the general pregnancy table.
Table: Selected maternal vaccine guidance
| Vaccine | ACOG 2026 schedule | CDC pregnancy guidance checked for this draft |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 | Any COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered; vaccination may occur in any trimester | General pregnancy table says no guidance/not applicable |
| Influenza | Routine maternal immunization recommended | Inactivated or recombinant influenza vaccine recommended seasonally |
| Tdap | Recommended in each pregnancy | Recommended in each pregnancy, preferably early in gestational weeks 27-36 |
| RSV | Recommended when eligible during seasonal timing | Pfizer Abrysvo recommended at 32 weeks 0 days to 36 weeks 6 days, September-January in most of the continental U.S. |
Source: ACOG 2026 maternal immunization schedule and CDC pregnancy vaccination guidance.
ACOG's release said the schedule was developed by its Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group and was endorsed by 13 medical societies and health organisations. It named the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health and the American College of Nurse-Midwives among endorsing groups.
The dispute is clinical guidance, not a legal mandate. ACOG is a professional medical organisation, while CDC guidance is federal public-health advice. Neither source, as checked for this draft, says the schedule by itself determines state law, insurance coverage, pharmacy availability or whether a specific patient should receive a vaccine despite an individual contraindication.
AP reported that ACOG's schedule aligns with prior CDC recommendations before changes under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and differs most clearly on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. STAT also reported that ACOG recommends pregnant people receive flu and COVID-19 shots in autumn, while noting vaccination can occur at other points in the year.