Management of infants at birth

Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted from mother to baby at the time of birth. Routine hepatitis B vaccination and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) given as soon as possible after birth are highly effective prevention strategies, and should be given to all babies of mothers with hepatitis B (followed by infant vaccination at age 2, 4 and 6 months). Hepatitis B is not an indication for elective caesarean section. For more information, see the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

All infants born to mothers with chronic hepatitis B should be tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) after 9 months of age (3 months after the last vaccine dose) to ascertain whether mother-to-child transmission has occurred and whether immunity has been achieved.