Why should I take the vaccine?💡

As you can assume by the name, this vaccine protects your child against the Hepatitis B virus, a disease that damages the liver and causes cancer. The disease is transferable through body fluids such as blood and amniotic fluid. Newborns are vulnerable to the virus because they are exposed to mom's body fluids such as amniotic fluid, breast milk, and saliva, so the shot is mandatory!

How to get the vaccine?💉

Your child will get 3 doses at each of the following ages: Shortly after birth, 1-2 months, and 6-18 months. 

Your baby will get his/her first vaccine within 24 hours of birth, and the doctor will help you make an appointment for the second shot at 1 to 2 months of age. The vaccine is effective when you complete all the shots, so make sure you don't miss them!

TMI from Baby Billy👩‍⚕️: 

What is Hepatitis B?

The liver is one of the most important organs in our body because it purifies the blood. The Hepatitis B virus inflames our liver and causes cancer and cirrhosis. The disease is contagious as well, which is one of the reasons why we should get the vaccination! Especially infants and children usually show no symptoms when they get Hepatitis B, so getting the vaccine and preventing its transfer is important.

What are the symptoms?

Normally children with Hepatitis B don't show any symptoms, so it is very hard to recognize without a blood test. Rarely some children do show jaundiced in their complexions and eyes. Also, dark urine and diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting appear, but it is very rare for early ages. 

How long will the vaccine last?

Antibodies through the vaccine decrease over time. However, even though antibodies diminish, the body remembers immunity through the vaccine, which helps the virus prevention effect last for over 10 years! So even if you catch Hepatitis B later in your life, your body stimulates the immune system and will try to fight the virus.