How to get hepatitis B vaccine for safe pregnancy?

Hepatitis B vaccine should be given before pregnancy to protect mother and baby from infection and complications of the disease.

Dr. Bach Thi Chinh, Medical Director of the VNVC Vaccination System, recommends that women planning to become pregnant should proactively get vaccinated against hepatitis B before becoming pregnant. The reason is that hepatitis B is mainly transmitted from mother to child, causing many generations in the same family to be infected with the virus. Vietnam is located in an area where hepatitis B is endemic, with the rate of people infected with hepatitis B accounting for about 10 to 20% of the population, and the rate of pregnant women accounting for 10 to 16%.

Hepatitis B is also the leading cause of dangerous complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Pregnant women with hepatitis B in the last 3 months of pregnancy may increase the risk of premature birth. If a newborn is infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) from the mother, the risk of developing chronic disease is 90%, about 25% of which will be at risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis.

Getting vaccinated against hepatitis B before pregnancy is a way to protect both mother and baby during pregnancy. Photo: Tuyet Huynh — Getting vaccinated against hepatitis B before pregnancy is a way to protect both mother and baby during pregnancy. Photo: *Tuyet Huynh*

Therefore, women planning to get pregnant need to get vaccinated against hepatitis B, and should get vaccinated before pregnancy so that the body can produce antibodies to protect the mother and fetus throughout the pregnancy. Before getting vaccinated, women need to be tested to determine whether the body has hepatitis B or has antibodies against the virus. Depending on the test results, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate number of injections for each person.

During pregnancy, hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for pregnant women who are not immune and are at high risk, for example, having a husband infected with hepatitis B virus; working in an environment where there is frequent contact with blood, needles, etc. Pregnant women need to consult with the obstetrician who is monitoring the pregnancy to understand the benefits and risks when wanting to get vaccinated against hepatitis B. Pregnant women who have not completed the regimen can continue to be vaccinated after giving birth if they are in the non-risk group.

If a pregnant woman is infected with the hepatitis B virus during pregnancy and has not been vaccinated, the vaccine will not be effective. Pregnant women need to be monitored and treated by a specialist.

Newborn babies get hepatitis B vaccination at VNVC. Photo: Tuyet Huynh — Newborn babies get hepatitis B vaccination at VNVC. Photo: *Tuyet Huynh*

In addition, Dr. Chinh noted that the mother's antibodies transmitted to the baby through the placenta are not stable and will gradually decrease over time. Even if the mother has been vaccinated, the baby still needs to continue to be vaccinated to prevent the disease. Currently, the hepatitis B vaccine is given to babies immediately after birth within 24 hours if the baby's health is stable. Babies whose mothers have hepatitis B will be injected with additional hepatitis B antiserum within the first 12 hours after birth. Newborns do not need to be tested before vaccination.

For the vaccination process to be safe and effective, Dr. Chinh recommends that everyone choose a reputable vaccination facility, preserve quality vaccines, fully declare screening information to the doctor and comply with staying for 30 minutes of post-vaccination monitoring. After that, everyone needs to continue to monitor their health at home for at least 24 hours after vaccination.

Nhat Linh

At 9:00 a.m. on October 14, the VNVC Vaccination System and the pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur organized a free "Pregnancy and Obstetrics Health Consultation Class No. 12" in both direct and online formats, to provide useful and latest medical knowledge to care for pregnant mothers before, during and after birth.

The class has two lectures:

The importance of hepatitis B vaccine for pregnant mothers and fetuses presented by MSc. Nguyen Dieu Thuy, Medical Specialist, VNVC System;

Benefits of normal birth and cesarean section presented by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thoai, doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Center, Tam Anh General Hospital System.

The class will take place at 9am on October 14 at VNVC Nguyen Duy Trinh 1, ground floor, block 4, Astoria building, 383-385 Nguyen Duy Trinh, Binh Trung Tay ward, Thu Duc city, Ho Chi Minh city.

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