Day One Defense: Giving Every Newborn a Healthy Start Against Hepatitis B

This webinar is focused on why the universal Hepatitis B Birth Dose remains essential and how to discuss this in your practice. The universal hepatitis B birth dose starting on the first day of an infant's life has been a proven safety net to prevent chronic infection that can lead to severe liver disease, liver failure, liver cancer and death. Very recently, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that Hepatitis B vaccination for infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus be administered at two months, although it may still be administered at birth after discussion with a health care provider (described as “individual-based decision-making.") Yet this recommendation removes the immediate protection for all infants whose exposure to hepatitis B is unknown, whose birthing parent received the wrong test, whose results are misinterpreted, or who are exposed in the neonatal period. In this webinar, participants will learn the answers to important questions such as: What is the ideal dose and timing of Hepatitis B vaccine administration in newborns? What is the primary purpose of administering the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth? If a mother’s hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG) status is unknown at delivery, what should be done? And, which newborns should receive both Hepatitis B vaccine and Hepatitis B immune globulin? 

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