- Hepatitis B
- Pregnancy, Perinatal & Infants
If a mother’s HBsAg test result is not available at the time of birth, how should a full-term infant be managed?
- Infants born to mothers for whom HBsAg testing results during pregnancy are not available but other evidence suggestive of maternal HBV infection exists (for example presence of HBV DNA, HBeAg-positive, or mother known to be chronically infected with HBV) should be managed as if born to an HBsAg-positive mother.
- Mothers admitted for delivery without documentation of HBsAg test results should have blood drawn and tested as soon as possible after admission.
- While test results are pending, all infants with birth weights of 2,000 grams or more born to mothers without documentation of HBsAg test results should receive the first dose of single-antigen HepB (without HBIG) within 12 hours of birth. Only single antigen HepB vaccine should be used for the birth dose.
- If the mother is determined to be HBsAg positive, the infant should receive HBIG as soon as possible but no later than age 7 days, and the vaccine series should be completed according to a recommended schedule for infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers.
- If the mother is determined to be HBsAg negative, the vaccine series should be completed according to a recommended schedule for infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers.
Last reviewed:
July 21, 2023