Why can babies be exposed to hepatitis B virus?

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Huu Nam - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Neonatal hepatitis B is a virus that can damage liver cells in infancy, causing liver disease, which can be acute or chronic. Therefore, vaccination - hepatitis B vaccine for infants is extremely necessary to reverse this risk.

Up to now, Vietnam is considered an area with a very high prevalence of hepatitis B, especially among pregnant women as well as children. Hepatitis B virus is a virus that causes damage and necrosis of liver cells, affecting many other organs in the body. Hepatitis B virus can be considered as one of the causes of cirrhosis and liver cancer, which have a very high mortality rate.
In case a pregnant mother is infected with hepatitis B virus, during pregnancy, transmission of this virus has not taken place. During labor and delivery, this virus will create conditions for this virus to be transmitted from mother to child. At this time, the mother's uterus contracts, the blood vessels where the placenta attaches also constricts so that the mother's blood and the baby's blood come into contact with each other, so the transmission takes place from here. In addition, the hepatitis B virus can also be passed on to other family members through child care.

Mother-to-child: Hepatitis B virus is transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. When the mother's blood test results show that HbsAg and HBeAg are positive, there is a high chance of transmission. Transmission through wound contact: Places such as hospitals, schools, kindergartens... can be environments that cause hepatitis B virus infection from one child to another. open wounds or in other words, the blood and secretions from these wounds. Transmission through injection, blood transfusion: Not only hepatitis B virus but hepatitis C virus and HIV virus can also be transmitted to unsafe injection routes. Sexual transmission: Sex can lead to abrasions in the genital mucosa, causing contact of pathogenic secretions.

Vaccinating infants with hepatitis b vaccine during the first 24 hours can help prevent mother-to-child transmission of the hepatitis B virus. This is part of the national expanded vaccination program against hepatitis B applied in Vietnam and many other countries. More specifically, the hepatitis B vaccination is done as follows:
At birth, if the child's health condition is not abnormal, the hepatitis B vaccine should be given within the first 24 hours after birth. birth When the child is 2 months old, continue the 2nd injection, and continue the 3rd, 4th injection when the child is 3 and 4 months old. 5 in 1 injections including boosters are available. Conclusion:
Hepatitis B vaccination for newborns is an important step in the fight against mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus. Therefore, to prevent the possibility of hepatitis B in newborns, parents should pay attention and try to give their children vaccines at the scheduled time.
At Vinmec International General Hospital, the vaccination process is carried out carefully, in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health. Children will be screened before vaccination and health monitoring after vaccination. Vaccines at Vinmec are imported from famous big companies in the world, have clear inspection, are preserved by Vinmec on a modern cold chain in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the Health Organization world.
Parents can get information about vaccinations, including hepatitis B vaccine, at Vinmec International General Hospital. If parents need to vaccinate their children at Vinmec, please book an appointment on the website (vinmec.com) for the best service.