Strong evidence reported for safety and effectiveness of the birth dose, with no improved safety or effectiveness with delayed first dose<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Hepatitis B vaccination at birth is safe and effective compared with a delayed first dose, according to research published online Feb. 5 in Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\n Angela K. Ulrich, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues conducted a comprehensive review of the evidence of the safety, immunogenicity, efficacy, and effectiveness of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccination and a delayed first dose.<\/p>\n The researchers found strong evidence for the safety and effectiveness of the birth dose; a delayed first dose was not associated with improved safety or effectiveness. No evidence was found to support postvaccination serology use for clinical decision-making. A 99 percent reduction in pediatric hepatitis B virus infections resulted from infant vaccination; no evidence was found to support a change in vaccine recommendations, but potential health consequences were identified.<\/p>\n “This review found no benefit of a delayed first dose for short- or long-term AEs (adverse events), vaccine efficacy, effectiveness, or long-term protection compared with vaccination at birth,” the authors write. “The birth dose has served to close real-world gaps in prenatal screening and follow-up that left infants vulnerable to infection, including postnatal infections, errors across the continuum of care, missed opportunities for vaccination, gaps in early pediatric care, and equitable access.”<\/p>\n