Information for pediatric providers
After birth, preventing perinatal hepatitis B requires timely hepatitis B vaccination and post vaccination serology testing.
Select a topic below to display information:
- Five tasks help pediatric care providers prevent babies born to HBsAg-positive persons from becoming lifelong (chronic) carriers
- Guidelines from WA State Dept. of Health
Pediatric providers should give dose 2 of hepatitis B vaccine at 1-2 months of age and dose 3 at 6 months of age.
Postvaccination serologic testing (PVST) at age 9-12 months (not before 9 months) is critical to determine immunity for infants exposed to hepatitis B at birth. Please use the pediatric guide for more on testing infants, interpreting lab results, and reporting to Public Health — Seattle & King County.
Pediatric providers should determine if infants will be leaving the country during vaccination or testing and make a plan with the family. Guides for infants being cared for in China are available in English and Chinese.
- If an infant who was prenatally exposed to hepatitis B is new to a pediatric clinic and it is unknown if they were reported to Public Health, please call 206-296-4774 to verify enrollment into the perinatal hepatitis B prevention program and document enrollment in the patient's medical record.
- In Washington, healthcare providers are legally required to report hepatitis B infections to Public Health.
- To report an infant who is HBsAg positive or an infant born to a person who is HBsAg positive (or whose status is unknown) to Public Health — Seattle & King County:
- Call Communicable Disease Control, Epidemiology, & Immunization at 206-296-4774
- Call the 24-hour report line at 206-296-4782, push "3" to report PHBPP information, or
- Download, complete, and fax the confidential case report form to 206-296-4803
- Call Communicable Disease Control, Epidemiology, & Immunization at 206-296-4774
The Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program is a case management service provided by Public Health for pregnant people with hepatitis B and their infants. Pregnant people who are infected with hepatitis B and their infants may be automatically enrolled in the program after Public Health is notified by their provider, clinic, hospital, or lab.
The program helps mothers, parents, and guardians take the steps necessary to protect their babies from hepatitis B
Services include:
- hepatitis B vaccine and testing reminder calls or letters to moms, parents, and guardians
- coordinating clinic appointments for enrolled clients
- client hepatitis B education and resources
For questions and client services call 206-296-4774 and ask for the perinatal hepatitis B team.