Infants born to mothers who are hepatitis B positive have a 40% chance of becoming chronically infected with hepatitis B if they do not receive the appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis. This includes receipt of the first hepatitis B vaccine and the hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) within the first 12 hours of life, the second hepatitis B vaccine at 1-2 months of age, and the final hepatitis B vaccine at 6 months of age.

During 2021, 85% of infants born to mothers with hepatitis B received HBIG at birth and completed the hepatitis B vaccine series by age 1. Connecticut has maintained a high completion rate, but this can fluctuate year-to-year depending on several factors. The recent data reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal hepatitis B reporting and prophylaxis rates. Reporting delays during the 2020 calendar year resulted in a lack of timely information on infants born in 2019. The rates for infants born in 2020 and 2021 have continued to improve as the pandemic safety measures have been relaxed, however, they still have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

These data are current as of April, 2023.

DPH Immunization Partners

Government: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CT Department of Social Services/Community Health Network (CHN), CT Department of Children and Families, CT Local Health Departments/Districts, Tribal Governments, Health Departments from other states, Emergency Response and Public Health Preparedness

Organizations and Coalitions: Connecticut Vaccine Advisory Council (CVAC), Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Foundation for Children, CT American Lung Association, American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA), Every Child By Two, Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), American Cancer Society

Business and Industry: Pharmaceutical companies that produce vaccines, Immunization Information System (IIS) vendors, electronic health record (EHR) vendors, insurance companies

Health Care: Private and public providers, community health centers, school based health centers, hospitals

Education: Daycares, schools and colleges, Board of Nursing, State Department of Education, Yale School of Public Health

Community Services: CT Department of Social Services, Community Health Network (CHN), Local WIC Offices, tribal services, services for immigrants and refugees, homeless shelters and programs, domestic violence shelters and programs, Hispanic Health Council, Maternal Infant Outreach Program - City of Hartford Health and Human Services (MIOP) , Family Strides, Head Start, Healthy Start, Nurturing Families, Connections, Mom’s Project, Positive Parenting, Project Mother Care, Reach out and Read, Birth to Three, libraries, churches, Community Health Center Family Wellness Center/New Britain, Weston Women’s League, Human Resources Agency of New Britain (HRA), Family and Children’s Agency (FCA) of Norwalk, Spanish Speaking Center, United Way

The Public: Parents and the general public

Universal hepatitis B vaccination of all newborns before discharge acts as a safety net for babies whose mothers were not tested for hepatitis B or whose results were not available at the time of birth.

Universal access to hepatitis B vaccine at no cost to patients to help minimize any financial roadblocks to vaccination that families may encounter.

Pediatrician reminder-recall systems help to bring patients back in for vaccinations.

Hepatitis B Vaccination recommendations for Infants, Children, and Adolescents. MMWR 2005;54(RR-16).

https://www.immunize.org/birthdose

For current year priority strategies and actions, click here (right click to open link).
SHIP Strategies:

Assure costs of vaccines/administration for all ages are covered by all insurers

Maintain and expand access to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended vaccines for children

Maintain and enhance Connecticut immunization registry, including across lifespan; implement comprehensive reminder/recall systems.

Use new and existing data systems to measure vaccine coverage among populations to identify disparities and target vaccine strategies.

Connecticut has a perinatal hepatitis B coordinator who identifies pregnant women with hepatitis B infection and notifies their obstetricians of the need for proper management of the infant. The coordinator also notifies the infant's pediatrician and tracks hepatitis B vaccine dates and post-vaccine serological testing to ensure that the baby is immune to hepatitis B. Parental education is also important and outreach to the mothers is also performed by the coordinator.

The Connecticut Vaccine Program is Connecticut’s childhood vaccination program. It ensures all children in the state get the vaccinations they need, when they need them, to stay healthy. The state buys vaccine at the lowest possible price through a government contract, and gives the vaccines at no cost to clinics, private doctors, and other health care providers. These providers then vaccinate children without charging patients for the cost of the vaccine (health care providers may still charge an administration fee). Without this program, some insurance companies may not cover the full cost of vaccines, making it too expensive for some families. Hepatitis B vaccine is available to newborns in hospitals and all children 0-18 years of age at no cost through the Connecticut Vaccine Program.