Hepatitis-B vaccination in pregnancy: safety and immunogenic response in mothers and antibody transfer to neonates.

Hepatitis B infection during pregnancy causes increased, maternal morbidity and perinatal mortality. No specific therapy is available, hence neonatal immunoprophylaxis 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.