Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is sexually transmitted, or blood transmitted (from illegal IV drug use) or is transmitted during birth when the mother is Hep B positive.
In 1991, the CDC decided to recommend that all newborn babies be vaccinated with Hep B vaccine, not just those born to hepatitis B-positive moms.
According to a Children’s Health Defense report, “The stated reason why the CDC wanted to vaccinate all infants was not that all infants were at risk of infection, but simply because its strategy to vaccinate high-risk populations was failing.”
In other words, the goal of vaccinating the adults who share needles among injection drug users and/or those who transmit disease through high risk sexual activity, simply did not work. So the CDC recommended that all newborns be vaccinated with Hep B. Adding HepB to the infant vaccine schedule was “convenient.”
Many parents naturally wonder why it is considered necessary to vaccinate their baby against a virus that is primarily transmitted sexually or through sharing of needles among injection drug users especially if the mother has tested negative. It is important that you, the parent, become clear on the potential benefits of this vaccine and the potential risks associated with it, so that you can make an informed decision and feel confident about it.
This is the first of 69 shots scheduled for your child, unless the CDC schedule has added more since this writing. My son, now 36 years old, had just 15 total shots. His newborn – and yours – have on the schedule, 50 doses of 14 vaccines before age 6 and 69 doses of 16 vaccines by age 18. When you include the vaccines recommended during pregnancy, the count is up to 72 shots.
Has this schedule of shots ever been safety tested? Sadly, no. Is it ok to give multiple shots at the same time and / or close to each other? We do not know.
The Hep B vaccine is on the CDC schedule for your baby at birth, at 2 months, and at 6 months.
