Mother to Child
Pregnant women who are infected with hepatitis B are at risk of passing the virus to their babies during childbirth. The virus can also be passed to the baby through contact with the mother’s blood during pregnancy. Studies have shown that up to 90% of babies born to mothers with hepatitis B will contract the virus themselves.
There is no cure for hepatitis B, which is why it’s so important for pregnant women to get vaccinated against the virus if they have not already done so. Most people infected with hepatitis B as adults will recover completely and develop lifelong immunity against re-infection, but infants and children are more likely to develop chronic infections.
All children, not just those born to mothers with hepatitis B, must be vaccinated against the virus. If a woman is found to be infected, her newborn should receive the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth and should complete the full vaccine series according to recommendations.
