Give the first hepatitis B vaccine shot within 24 hours of birth
- Top value
- Evidence A
- Buys life
- For: Child under 3, Pregnant or trying
- Free
- Takes minutes
- No willpower
In plain words
A baby should get the first shot of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Of people infected with hepatitis B in infancy and early childhood, about 95% go on to chronic hepatitis. Most people infected as adults clear it on their own. So the earlier this shot is given, the more it helps. If the mother's hepatitis B surface antigen is positive, the baby also gets hepatitis B immune globulin at the same time.
- Cost
-
Free. The hepatitis B vaccine is part of the national immunization program (免疫规划) and is free anyway. The baby gets it at the hospital on the day of birth, so you don't need a separate trip.
- What you get
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The World Health Organization says: "All infants should receive a dose of hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth (within 24 hours)." The reason is that "about 95% of infections in infancy and early childhood develop into chronic hepatitis." Most infections in adults clear on their own (they get better without treatment).
- Notes
-
If the mother's hepatitis B surface antigen is positive, the baby also needs a shot of hepatitis B immune globulin right after birth. Get this settled at prenatal checkups, and don't wait until after the birth to ask. For the screening the mother needs for herself, see §1.
- Evidence grade
- A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.
- Sources
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- World Health Organization. Hepatitis B fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b
Mentioned in
- Get all the vaccines in the national immunization program on schedule, which are free all the way, and if you miss one, only catch up on the doses not yet given
- At the first prenatal checkup, get tested for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B; if one is found, there is free treatment to block transmission to the baby
Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 20, tip 2. This section is about health and medicines. It is general information, not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis or prescription. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer