|
Hepatitis B vaccines are recommended for all
infants, starting at birth. It’s especially
important that infants who are born to people who
test positive for hepatitis B infection start and
finish their hepatitis B vaccines on-time. This is
because people who are infected as infants have a
much greater chance of having chronic infection and
hepatitis B related liver disease. Children who did
not get the vaccine when they were younger should
get it now and some unvaccinated adults who are at
higher risk for getting infected should also get
vaccinated.
Hepatitis vaccines are required for California children entering child care and kindergarten and some adults may need to show proof of vaccination for work.
Hepatitis B vaccines are covered by most insurance
plans at no cost to the patient. If you are
uninsured or your insurance does not cover hepatitis
B vaccinations, please call 2-1-1 to receive
guidance and assistance. |
|
|
| |
The only way to know if you’ve been infected with the hepatitis B virus is to have a
simple blood test
to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
All pregnant people should be tested routinely for HBsAg during an early prenatal visit (e.g., first trimester) in each pregnancy, even if they have been previously vaccinated or tested.
People who were not screened prenatally, those who engage in behaviors that put them at high risk for infection (e.g., injection-drug use, having had more than one sex partner in the previous 6 months or an BsAg-positive sex partner, evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease [STD], or recent or current injection-drug use) and those with clinical hepatitis should be tested at the time of admission to the hospital for delivery.
Perinatal HBV transmission can be prevented by identifying HBV-infected (i.e., hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]-positive)
pregnant people and providing hepatitis B immune
globulin and hepatitis B vaccine to their infants
within 12 hours of birth. If you don’t have
insurance coverage, call 2-1-1 to be given
information about how to find a healthcare provider. |
|
Content last updated:
January 24, 2024
|
