Hepatitis B Facts
- Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that can lead to liver failure and cancer.
- It is easily spread to infants during delivery.
- If infected, your baby has a 90% chance of having a lifelong infection.
- There is no cure, but hepatitis B is preventable by a safe and effective vaccine.
Additional Steps to Protect Your Baby
Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B need two extra steps to ensure protection from infection. Aside from timely vaccination with the 3 dose hepatitis B vaccination series, each child needs
- HBIG- at birth
- Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) is a medicine that helps your baby's body fight off the hepatitis B virus immediately. Inform your doctor that your baby needs HBIG at birth.
- PVST at 9 months
- Post-vaccine serological testing (PVST) makes sure your child is not infected with hepatitis B and is protected from getting the virus.
Patient Information for Kansas Moms with Hepatitis B
Kansas Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP) and your local health department provide support by answering any questions you may have and offer low or no-cost vaccinations and free post-vaccine serological testing.
