Contents:
- Medical Video: Why Do Newborns Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine?
- What is the importance of the hepatitis B vaccine in newborns?
- Hepatitis B vaccine delivery schedule
- Side effects of hepatitis B vaccine
- Cost of hepatitis B vaccine
Medical Video: Why Do Newborns Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine?
Vaccines are part of the immunization process, which is the injection of artificial immunity by giving antigens to a person's body to stimulate the formation of antibodies against certain diseases. Hepatitis B vaccine is one of the mandatory immunizations parents need to do to their newborn child.
What is the importance of the hepatitis B vaccine in newborns?
The Hepatitis B virus has infected a total of 2 billion people in the world, and about 240 million of them have become chronic hepatitis B sufferers. Reporting from Detik, in 2007, the incidence of chronic hepatitis B in Indonesia reached 5 to 10 percent of the total population, equivalent to 13.5 million sufferers. This number makes Indonesia the 3rd country in Asia with the most chronic hepatitis sufferers. Therefore, it is important to prevent the spread of this disease by conducting immunizations early.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can cause chronic liver infections. This disease is a highly contagious disease and many people are infected in childhood. This disease is transmitted through blood and other body fluids. However, newborns are at high risk of developing hepatitis B from mothers who have been infected with the hepatitis B virus through either normal or caesarean delivery.
That is why doctors and other health experts who recommend hepatitis vaccines in newborns to prevent the development and transmission of this disease. Because, about 30-40 percent of infectious infections from people who have absolutely no risk factors for infection.
In addition, mothers who suffer from hepatitis B are often unaware that they have the disease because there are no symptoms that are felt. Therefore giving a vaccine at birth is the best way that can be taken.
The vaccine is also carried out without exception, including those who are negatively infected with hepatitis B. The hepatitis B vaccine protects your child from the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver damage to death. Not only that, giving vaccines at birth also helps reduce the risk of childhood exposure to hepatitis B that may be transmitted by people around them.
Hepatitis B vaccine delivery schedule
Quoted from the website of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the schedule for the first hepatitis B vaccine (monovalent) is best given within 12 hours after birth preceded by injections of vitamin K1 at least 30 minutes before. The schedule for giving monovalent HB vaccines is at the age of 0, 1 and 6 months. Babies born to HBsAg positive mothers are given HB vaccines and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) in different parts of the body.
If given HB combination with DTPw, then the vaccine administration schedule at the age of 2, 3, and 4 months. If the HB vaccine is combined with DTPa, then the schedule is given at the age of 2, 4, and 6 months.
Meanwhile, the dosage and schedule of vaccines in premature babies is the same as for babies who are quite months old. However, there are several things that need to be considered in premature babies, namely:
- Passive immune power through maternal transmission in premature infants is lower than that of a term baby.
- If the baby's weight is very small, which is less than 1,000 grams, immunization is given after the body weight reaches 2,000 grams or when the baby is 2 months old.
- Hepatitis B1 immunization is given at the age of 2 months or more, unless the mother has positive HBsAg.
Side effects of hepatitis B vaccine
Usually, some children will experience mild fever and pain in the part of the hand that is injected. However, if you find that your baby has an allergic reaction, you must request immediate treatment. A child who has a life-threatening allergic reaction to the hepatitis B vaccine given at the previous dose should not be immunized against hepatitis B again.
Cost of hepatitis B vaccine
Basically the cost of hepatitis B vaccine depends on each hospital. However, the range of costs for a single injection at birth ranges from 120-180 thousand rupiah. For more details, you can ask this at the hospital or maternity home where you gave birth.
It is important to remember, even though small children often do not show symptoms of hepatitis B infection, but the risk of children experiencing chronic hepatitis problems is quite high. In fact, 90 percent of children affected by hepatitis before 12 months of age will experience chronic hepatitis. Until now there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B and only a few treatments are reliable. Therefore, giving hepatitis B vaccine to children from birth is the best way to prevent it.
