Hepatitis B Vaccination During Pregnancy

Indications and Recommendations

• The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that hepatitis B vaccine can and should be administered during pregnancy to women at risk for HBV infection, as it is safe and does not increase adverse pregnancy outcomes 1
• The CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccination for pregnant women who meet high-risk criteria, including more than one sex partner during the previous 6 months, evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted infection, recent or current injection-drug use, or an HBsAg-positive sex partner 2
• Any pregnant patient at high risk of contracting HBV or who requests the vaccine can be offered vaccination during pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 1

Vaccination Schedule and Safety

• The CDC recommends initiating the standard 3-dose series (0, 1, and 6 months) during pregnancy for those who test negative but have risk factors 2
• The vaccine does NOT prevent infant infection from maternal transmission, and its primary purpose is to protect the mother from acquiring HBV infection during pregnancy 1
• Infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers require both HBIG and vaccine within 12 hours of birth for protection, as recommended by the CDC and other guideline societies 3

Testing and Prevention

• All pregnant women should be tested for HBsAg during each pregnancy, as recommended by the CDC 4, 2
• Pregnant women who test negative but have risk factors should not delay vaccination while assessing risk factors, and should be counseled on additional prevention methods beyond vaccination 2