| 1. If I have chronic HBV can I breast feed my baby | | | | true. At 0, 1 and 6 months they have been |
| without worrying that he might get infected? | | | | administered the first two doses of 10 micrograms |
| A study made in Texas on 101 breast-fed infants and | | | | with Merck Sharpe and Dohme's recombinant DNA |
| 268 formula-fed infants after immunopropylaxis was | | | | (MSD rDNA) vaccine (Recombivax HB). At month 6, |
| applied showed that there is no risk in breast feeding | | | | the tested subjects received SmithKline Beecham's |
| your baby if you have chronic HBV. Appropriate | | | | recombinant DNA (SB rDNA) vaccine (Engerix-B). At |
| immunoprophilaxies means administering hepatitis B | | | | the end of the vaccination program, the results were |
| immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine. | | | | the same with the usuall cases when people get one |
| 2. Does breast feeding have any consequence upon | | | | type of recombinant DNA vaccine, so there is no |
| immunoprophylaxis, like leading to its failure? | | | | harm in completing one type of vaccine with another. |
| It has been observed that the risk of | | | | 5. Is hepatitis B vaccine safe if administered during |
| immunoprofilaxis failure is approximately equal in | | | | pregnancy? |
| breast fed babies of chronic HBV mothers and bottle | | | | Scientists say that the vaccination does not lead to |
| fed babies. Also, breast feeding does not influence | | | | any congenital malformation or miscarriage, it is high |
| the response of anti-HBs in any negative ways. | | | | immunogenic and protects babies in the immediate |
| 3. Can a baby get HBV from its mother even during | | | | neonatal period. Doctors are still hesitant in |
| pregnancy, and what can be done about that? | | | | administering all kind of vaccine during pregnancy, but |
| Yes, the virus can transmit to the baby even during | | | | the hepatitis B vaccine seems to be one of the few |
| pregnancy, in fact this being one of the most | | | | that can be given to a pregnant woman without |
| frequent ways of increasing the number of carriers in | | | | causing damage. |
| the world. If a mother has HBV she can get | | | | 6. Can still I use a vial of Hepatitis B vaccine if I kept |
| intramuscular shots of HBV specific immunoglobulin | | | | it out of the refrigerator for a few days? |
| (HBIG) during pregnancy and so this stops the virus | | | | Tests have shown that after keeping the vial at 37 |
| from infecting the foetus. This solution is not 100% | | | | degrees C for 1 week the immunogenicity and |
| effective and 10%-20% of the babies still get HBV in | | | | reactogenicity of the vaccine were not altered and |
| their early life. | | | | the vaccine's properties were intact. This is a good |
| 4. Can hepatitis B vaccination schedule initiated with | | | | thing, especially for those who live in a country |
| one recombinant DNA vaccine be completed with | | | | where facilities for proper storage and transportation |
| another? | | | | are not adequate yet. |
| Studies have been made on 48 adults to see if this is | | | | |