Hep B vaccine at birth

skibunny59 · February 2012

Is anyone planning on delaying this vaccine? I had a meet and great with a pediatrician yesterday and she gave me all of the paperwork on all of the vaccines that LO would get in the first year. She said that the Hep B is given at the hospital but if you don't get it at the hospital then they give it when they first see the baby 2/3 days after I get discharged. The pediatrician is not affiliated with my hospital so she will not see the baby until after I get home.

As I was reading the paperwork on the vaccine I was wondering why it is necessary for it to be given to a newborn. The hospital I am delivering at never mentioned this as one of the required newborn procedures. DH and I had a huge fight about it last night. He thought I was crazy for even considering not getting her the vaccine if the pediatrician recommends it. I am very pro-vaccine and plan on vaccinating my child, I just don't understand why this particular vaccine needs to be given when the baby is so tiny.

FormerlyKrista555 · February 2012

My guess would be that it's because it's highly infectious. Many times adults will have it and have no idea. I guess they figure that having the vaccine right away decreases the risk to the newborn going home, being around family and friends, etc.

I say all this as speculation. I'm not a doctor. That's just what I understand about Hep B.

FormerlyKrista555 · February 2012

Here's some basic info about Hep B that I found from googling. It's from BabyCenter, so it's basically just facts about the disease, not biased about when you should do the vaccine.

https://www.babycenter.com/0_the-hepatitis-b-vaccine_1561.bc

kris_kelsey · February 2012

no, it is not because it is highly infectious. you are tested for hep b early in pregnancy...i'm sure you are negative otherwise you probably would have mentioned that you are a carrier. so, if you are ever accidentally exposed to hep b (blood, needles, sex) during your pregnancy then your baby is at risk for developing the infection. if you give hep b to the baby within 12 hours of life they are less likely to develop hep b IF you had accidentally been exposed during your pregnancy. I get it for my newborn because i work in L&D and am exposed to people's blood all the time, but if you don't have any risk factors then you may choose to decline. it makes no sense as to why they would give it to a newborn at 2-3 days because that is outside of the window of time it is needed to be given within. irregardless of if you give that dose within 12 hours, they give hep b vaccine starting at 2 months of age.

natalie_wn@yahoo.com · February 2012

In Ontario, children don't get the Hep B vaccine until they are in 7th grade (so, about 12). So, I can't say one way or another of whether your babe should get the vaccine, just that it's not given to newborns in Ontario.

Alauren4 · February 2012

I will be delaying the vaccine it isn't required if it was there would be stronger evidence, I dont think it is necessary to be given to a newborn. The eye ointment that is placed on the newborns eyes is also for STDs, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. I don't have any STD and I can't catch any between now and delivery. There are things the hospital does that aren't necessary and it is your right as a parent to refuse whatever you want...

Fink · February 2012

Definitely not planning to delay the Hep B vaccine (or any vaccine for that matter). I trust my doctors, as well as the pediatrician I selected and will heed their educated advice. Afterall, I am not a doctor and I don't play one on TV. Smile

elizxu · February 2012

We are delaying the Hep B vaccine until a few weeks before our LO starts daycare.

spunkyprincessmande · February 2012

It's my pedi's policy to give the shot at the baby's first appointment (so approx. 5 days old). I'm not sure why she does it that way, maybe she'd rather it be done in her office so that she knows? But since that's what she does, that's what we'll do.

skibunny59 · February 2012

kris_kelsey:
no, it is not because it is highly infectious. you are tested for hep b early in pregnancy...i'm sure you are negative otherwise you probably would have mentioned that you are a carrier. so, if you are ever accidentally exposed to hep b (blood, needles, sex) during your pregnancy then your baby is at risk for developing the infection. if you give hep b to the baby within 12 hours of life they are less likely to develop hep b IF you had accidentally been exposed during your pregnancy. I get it for my newborn because i work in L&D and am exposed to people's blood all the time, but if you don't have any risk factors then you may choose to decline. it makes no sense as to why they would give it to a newborn at 2-3 days because that is outside of the window of time it is needed to be given within. irregardless of if you give that dose within 12 hours, they give hep b vaccine starting at 2 months of age.

Thanks. I have been tested for hep b as part of my standard prenatal care and I am negative.

weezie825 · February 2012

The Hep B vaccine is a series of 3 shots, that have to happen on a specific schedule. My giving the first dose at birth or at the first pedi visit it will allow your dr to ensure that all 3 shots are administered at the right time intervals.

Our first LO was a preemie and we discussed delaying vax for that reason. After a discussion with our dr, we decided to go with the CDC recommended schedule based on DD's actual (not adjusted) age. Our dr felt strongly that it was even MORE important for our LO to have her shots sooner rather than later and that it was best to ensure that exposure came via the vaccine.

Part of the reason the CDC schedule is set up the way it is, is because many parents don't want to bring their kids in (and pay a copay) just for shots. The scheule is set up to give the vaccines during the normal well baby visits. If you are going to deviate from the schedule, you need to make sure that your LO gets into the drs often enough and at the right intervals for spacing the vaccines that are given in a series.

melrrr · February 2012

We delayed until maybe the 1 month visit. PP is right about the reasoning for lumping everything up according to the regular visit schedule. We spaced ours out and just came in for nurse visits on the off months. With our insurance we do not pay a copay for well visits or shot visits.

AngelaParish · February 2012

Hep B is transmitted sexually and through needles. Read The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. It lists all the different vaccines and gives very objective information on which are ok to delay and which are important to stay on schedule as well as side effects etc. His views on Hep B are that it is not important to get this vaccine right away so we will be delaying this until our child is older. The main reason I am delaying this is that there are far more important vaccines to give the baby and I don't want to overload his tiny system with too many at one time.

babyrichsmama · February 2012

I work in public health and see the consequences of people delaying or not getting vaccines. To each his own...but I have seen way too many unvaccinated children come down with some nasty vaccine-preventable problems. The CDC comes up with a vaccination schedule for a reason and I choose as a mom to trust that and make sure my child is immunized. It by no means hurts your child to be vaccinated that early and if it's recommended...I'd do it!

BelleWithABlade · February 2012

I think it's important to remember that Hep B is more of a blood born pathogen then an STD. It is a horrible disease that leads to liver failure, liver cancer, and liver transplant. If you delay vaccinations and your child acquires it via blood transfusion (if heaven forbid he/she has medical issues) it is a horrible thing. It's rare, but it happens and since the vaccine is safe, I see no reason to delay it.

I always think it's funny when people say definitively "I don't have that disease so my child is not at risk". Do you really think anyone with these diseases thinks they have them before they are diagnosed? Something like 70% of people with chlamydia don't know they have it.

ETA: Dr. Sears vaccine book isn't very well respected in the pediatric community. There is no evidence that the recommended vaccine schedule "overloads" a neonates immune system. That is just anti-vax propaganda.

RaeJ004 · February 2012

We will be delaying the Hep B vaccine along with some others. I just don't want to give more shots at once than we need to. We've met with our pedi and he is more than willing to have us come in for nurses visits in between our regular Dr visits to make sure Baby stays current. And that way we do not have to pay a copay every single time.

Mamasaurus · February 2012

I am delaying it. It will be easy for us, though, since we are having a homebirth if all goes well.

Neither of us work in a tattoo parlor or a hospital, where we are likely to be exposed to hep. I've been tested and don't have it. If my husband worked as an EMT, yes, I would have LO get it ASAP, but that isn't our siutation. There are probably going to be very, very few opportunities for my newborn to contract it, so I just don't think it's necessary. Some babies get fussy and don't want to eat after getting a shot, and I want to BF--since this is a crucial time for establishing good nursing habits and getting a good supply, I don't want to do anything to mess with that. I feel like delaying it is means I get something I KNOW will help my LO (BFing) vs. something that will maybe help her, and maybe not (the hep vaccine in first 2 days of life).

livinreality · February 2012

Several people mentioned delaying vaccinations, we considered this with DS but the daycare would not take him without the proper vaccinations so we stuck to a standard schedule since I had no choice but to go back to work.

This time we are going to be spacing out the shots since I am home with both DS and LO, in a sense delaying them but just so that the baby does not get more than 2 vaccines at a time, but nothing major. We had a friend's baby who had a bad reaction to the vaccinations but they had no idea which one since he got 4 at the same time.

bobbs420 · February 2012

We delayed it with DS, and will delay it with this baby as well. I see no need for my son to have the Hep B vaccine so early.

wolverine8 · February 2012

bobbs420:
We delayed it with DS, and will delay it with this baby as well. I see no need for my son to have the Hep B vaccine so early.

This. As a PP stated, you do not NEED to get it if you or anyone who will be in the room with you has Hep B. I also work in a hospital and it is not required. You can decline it, as most people do. We delayed this until DS was 6mo.

greeneyed_bride · February 2012

I asked my pediatrician about the Hep B vaccine, and her answer was basically this: Hep B cases are on the rise, and some women (especially those who do not receive adequate prenatal care OR who are engaged in relationships that are not monogamous during pregnancy) do not know that they have it. If you do have it when you give birth, it can be passed on to the baby during delivery and can be very dangerous for baby. The first vaccine is intended to protect baby in case mom has hep B and doesn't know it.

She said that if you have received adequate prenatal care (including STD testing) and are in a relationship that you know is monogamous (or are not engaged in any sexual activity,) it's ok to delay the vaccine.

Since obviously there are unfortunate cases where a woman doesn't know that her SO is cheating and may have been exposed to Hep B, it's easier for them to vaccinate baby than to test mom and her sexual partner(s) before delivery with enough time to get the results back.

pinksweetpea2 · February 2012

We are skipping it. She will get it during her first round of vaccines at her 2 month apt.

I believe in vaccines and other than this one will follow the regular schedule, but injecting my child unnecessarily right after she has been born is not something I am going to agree to.

KaliChick · February 2012

We are declining it in the hospital. In fact, I've gone as far as putting it on my pre-admission paperwork. I am considered a little more high risk in that I own and run a decent sized preschool center (45 children enrolled). However, every child in my care is vaccinated so I don't feel there's a huge risk. Plus, I've been tested 3 times in the last 2 years. I was tested 2 years ago because I wanted to know if I needed a booster (preschool concern) and I still had antibodies. I was tested again in the middle of my second IVF process (because it's required by law to have a STD panel within 12 months of all fertility treatment) and then I was tested again at 10 weeks pregnant. I've tested negative every time. Therefore, I do not feel we are at any great risk of contracting it.

I 100% believe in vaccinations and he will be vaccinated, just on a slightly delayed schedule (I don't want to give 4 at a time so I will space them out a bit). The pediatrician we met with was not supportive of it, but said she would do whatever we chose. It's part of the reason (not 100%) of why we're still looking for a pedi.

I understand the reasoning for it and I think that if you are in a high risk category it's wise, but most of us are not.

KatieMarie27 · February 2012

I plan on postponing it until a later check-up. I fully intend on getting all of the vaccines, but declining a lot of things right away at the hospital. For me, I want LO to adjust to the world first and not overwhelm her body with unnecessary things right away. She will have already went through a lot just being born, she can have some time to rest and adjust.

bride2005!! · February 2012

natalie_wn@yahoo.com:
In Ontario, children don't get the Hep B vaccine until they are in 7th grade (so, about 12). So, I can't say one way or another of whether your babe should get the vaccine, just that it's not given to newborns in Ontario.

I find this so interesting. I wonder what makes babies in Canada less vulnerable than those in the US (sarcasm). Anyway, we will be declining the Hep B shot and eye stuff. My child will be vaccinated but only when my pediatrician and I feel he is ready.

executrixie · February 2012

We delayed the vaccine with #1 and plan on doing it with #2, as well. The only reason is b/c they have such a rough time coming into the the world as it is, they already get a PKU heel prick. We figured give them a bit of downtime before the vaccine.

treble_clef · February 2012

We did it with my son, and we will again. My FIL died of liver cancer from Hep B. We travel a lot internationally, and we don't want to take any risks. My son was fine getting all the vaccinations.

tjts12 · February 2012

Agreed.

take5 · February 2012

I was vaccinated for Hep B several years ago due to my profession. However I see no need to ever have my child vaccinated against this disease.

natalie_wn@yahoo.com · February 2012

bride2005!!:
natalie_wn@yahoo.com:
In Ontario, children don't get the Hep B vaccine until they are in 7th grade (so, about 12). So, I can't say one way or another of whether your babe should get the vaccine, just that it's not given to newborns in Ontario.

I find this so interesting. I wonder what makes babies in Canada less vulnerable than those in the US (sarcasm).

lol, I find it interesting too. I'm not sure why it's so different, but that's the way it's been for many years. Perhaps because so many of us get vaccinated when we are adolescents, our children don't need it until then either? I was vaccinated (as well as almost every person I know) when I was in 7th grade.

I don't know, but it is interesting how the vaccine schedule for this vaccine is so different.

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