Pregnant women can access respiratory syncytial virus vaccination under the National Immunisation Program starting next winter, the Federal Government has announced.

Single-dose respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine Abrysvo is recommended for women at 28-36 weeks of pregnancy but costs more than $300 on the private market.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said RSV was the leading cause of hospitalisation among Australian children, responsible for 12,000 admissions annually.

The national immunisation program would prevent 10,000 infant hospitalisations each year, he said.