Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Pocket Guide - Prenatal

Pocket guide to assist prenatal health care providers with recommended strategies to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B.

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Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Pocket Guide - Prenatal (PDF)

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On this page:
Management of Pregnant Women
Management of Delivery and Infant
Screening and Referral Algorithm for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection among Pregnant Women

Management of Pregnant Women

Prenatal HBsAg Testing

• Test ALL pregnant women during an early prenatal visit in EACH pregnancy, even if tested before or previously vaccinated.
• Send copy of lab report with the HBsAg-positive results to the delivery hospital and the infant’s health care provider.
• Report to MDH all HBsAg-positive women within one working day of knowledge of the pregnancy.
• Refer for or provide HBsAg-positive women with counseling and medical management. Give the following information:
  • Modes of hepatitis B transmission.
  • Perinatal concerns (i.e., HBsAg-positive mothers may breastfeed, treatment of newborns for exposure to hepatitis B).
  • Prevention of hepatitis B to contacts, include testing and/or hepatitis B vaccination for household, sexual, and needle-sharing contacts.
  • Substance abuse treatment and/or mental health care if appropriate.

Management of Delivery and Infant

At admission for delivery:

• Review HBsAg status of all pregnant women. Perform STAT testing if HBsAg result for the current pregnancy is unavailable.
• Retest HBsAg-negative women (at time of hospital delivery) if high-risk for infection.
• Place copy of maternal HBsAg results in labor/delivery record, infant’s delivery summary, and nursery medical record.

After delivery:

Infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers:

• Give hep B vaccine and HBIG within 12 hours of birth.
• Complete hep B vaccine series.
• Perform post-vaccination serology at 9-12 months.

Screening and Referral Algorithm for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection among Pregnant Women

• Screening and Referral Algorithm for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection among Pregnant Women (PDF) also found on the Clinical Overview of Perinatal Hepatitis B website under "Scientific Tools and Resources."