SayPro Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B infection can be transmitted from mother to infant.  Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver.  Many people with Hepatitis B have no symptoms at all and don’t know they are infected.  Others have flu-like symptoms and yellowing of the skin (jaundice).  Hepatitis B infection can only be identified by a blood test.

Many adults with hepatitis B recover fully but about one in 10 adults can remain infectious and spread the infection to others.  About one in five of this group could develop serious liver disease (hepatocellular carcinoma) later in life. 

Perinatal transmission of the hepatitis B virus can occur if the mother has an acute infection in pregnancy or if she is a chronic carrier of hepatitis B.

A full immunisation course will protect babies from the hepatitis B virus, this consists of:

• the first dose at birth
• the second dose at one month
• the third dose at 2 months
• the fourth dose at 12 months

if the mother has hepatitis B, the baby will need a blood test at 12 months to check the immunisation has worked.  For children still at risk, a fifth dose will be given hen they are 3 years 4 months old with their routine immunisations.