Premium
Hepatitis‐B Vaccination in Pregnancy: Safety and Immunogenic Response in Mothers and Antibody Transfer to Neonates
Author(s) -
Reddy Pranathi A.,
Gupta Indu,
Ganguly N.K.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
asia‐oceania journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1447-0756
pISSN - 0389-2328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0756.1994.tb00482.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pregnancy , vaccination , immunization , hbsag , hepatitis b vaccine , hepatitis b , immunology , antibody , obstetrics , hepatitis b virus , virus , biology , genetics
Hepatitis B infection during pregnancy causes increased, maternal morbidity and perinatal mortality. No specific therapy is available, hence neonatal immuno‐prophylaxis is recommended by WHO. However, the advantages of maternal immunization are manifold. Therefore, 15 pregnant HBsAg negative women were studied after 3 dozes of hepatitis B specific vaccine. No untoward effects of vaccine were observed and a good immunogenic response with very high antibody titres 178 IU/ l and 184 IU/l at delivery and 3 months post delivery respectively were noted. Passive transfer of antibodies to the neonates was 100% at birth but these levels declined rapidly. Hence hepatitis B specific vaccine is safe and immunogenic in pregnant women and protects their babies in the immediate neonatal period.