Perinatal Hepatitis B

• Protect Your Baby for Life: When a Pregnant Woman Has Hepatitis B

  Explains in easy-to-understand language how a mother with hepatitis B can protect her baby, including HBIG and hepatitis B vaccination at birth, completing the vaccine series, infant testing, breastfeeding, and the importance of the mother continuing her own medical care.

• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG): What parents need to know

  Provides parents and families with information about hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), including how HBIG helps protect infants exposed to hepatitis B, why HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine are given after birth, and the importance of completing the hepatitis B vaccine series and recommended follow-up testing.

• Protect Your Baby for Life – When a Pregnant Woman Has Hepatitis B

  Provides easy-to-understand information for pregnant women with hepatitis B about how to protect their baby from infection. The resource explains the importance of prenatal testing, newborn immunoprophylaxis, completing the hepatitis B vaccine series, and recommended follow-up care. It is available in multiple languages.

• Hepatitis B and a Healthy Baby

  Provides information for pregnant women and families about hepatitis B and the importance of protecting babies through vaccination.

• Hepatitis B and Breastfeeding

  Explains that mothers with hepatitis B can breastfeed and that breastfeeding does not need to be delayed while the infant completes vaccination. It also provides guidance for mothers who have cracked or bleeding nipples

• Hepatitis B Prevention and Protecting Your Family

  Provides general information about preventing hepatitis B, including testing during pregnancy and the importance of testing and vaccinating household and family members when appropriate.

   

• Clinical Overview of Perinatal Hepatitis B

  CDC’s main provider page covering perinatal transmission, prevention, infant prophylaxis, vaccination, and follow-up

• Clinical Guidance for Perinatal Hepatitis B Testing

  Provides healthcare providers with CDC recommendations for hepatitis B screening and testing during pregnancy. The guidance addresses HBsAg screening during each pregnancy, follow-up testing for patients with positive results, referral to the Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program, and recommended testing and follow-up for hepatitis B-exposed infants

• Hepatitis B Screening, Testing, and Management of Pregnant Women – Tip Sheet (PDF)
• Provides prenatal care providers with a quick-reference guide for hepatitis B screening, testing, and management throughout pregnancy. The resource outlines recommended testing by trimester, management of positive results, referral and treatment considerations, and steps to ensure appropriate newborn prophylaxis and follow-up

• Clinical Testing and Diagnosis for Hepatitis B

  Provides healthcare providers with CDC recommendations for hepatitis B screening, testing, and diagnosis. The resource explains recommended laboratory tests, including the triple panel (HBsAg, anti-HBs, and total anti-HBc), how to interpret test results, who should be screened or tested, and appropriate follow-up based on results

• CDC Recommendations for Hepatitis B Screening and Testing

  Provides comprehensive CDC recommendations for hepatitis B screening and testing in the United States. The guidance outlines who should be screened, recommended laboratory tests, interpretation of results, risk-based testing, and recommendations for screening during pregnancy to help identify HBV infection and support appropriate follow-up care.

• Algorithm for Managing Pregnant Women with Discrepant HBsAg Results
• Provides a step-by-step approach for evaluating pregnant patients who have an initial confirmed positive HBsAg result followed by a negative result during the same pregnancy. It uses HBV DNA, total anti-HBc, IgM anti-HBc, and anti-HBs results to help determine infection status and appropriate management.
• Interpretation and Differentiation of Isolated Positive Hepatitis B Core Antibody
• Provides guidance for interpreting an isolated positive total anti-HBc result (HBsAg negative, anti-HBs negative, total anti-HBc positive). The resource describes possible explanations, including previous resolved infection with waning anti-HBs, occult HBV infection, false-positive results, and HBsAg mutant infection, and provides considerations for appropriate follow-up

• Hepatitis B Surveillance Guidance

  Provides more detailed guidance for interpreting complex or discordant hepatitis B laboratory results, including situations such as negative HBsAg with detectable HBV DNA and suspected false-positive results.

• State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS)
  Notifiable diseases and health conditions can be reported through DPH's electronic disease surveillance system.

• A Pediatric Guide: Caring for Infants Born to Hepatitis B Infected Mothers  (PDF, 1.27 MB)  (March 2018)
  Quick reference guide that describes hepatitis B vaccination and testing for high-risk infants. The target audience for this publication is pediatric medical care providers. Developed by the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program.
• Clinical Overview of Perinatal Hepatitis B (September 2021)
  Quick reference guide that provides guidance for managing infants born to women with hepatitis B infection.  Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (January 2018)
  Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from CDC that summarizes and consolidates previously published recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and CDC. It also contains updates to recommendations for the prevention of HBV infection in the United States.
• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): Shortened Interval for Postvaccination Serologic Testing of Infants Born to Hepatitis B-Infected Mothers
  The CDC published a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on October 9, 2015 recommending shortening the interval for post-vaccination serologic testing (PVST) from age 9–18 months to age 9–12 months.  The recommendation to shorten the interval is a result of the discontinuation of the combination Hib/HepB vaccine (Comvax) and new data that show lower detectable levels of anti-HBs were associated with increased intervals between receipt of the last vaccine dose and post-vaccination serologic testing.
• Hepatitis B Vaccine
  Hepatitis B disease and vaccine information for the public and health professionals. Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Notifiable Disease Reporting Information 
  Guide for reporting notifiable diseases to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Includes list of notifiable diseases, case report form and contact information for county health departments
• Pink Book Hepatitis B Chapter
  The Pink Book provides physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and others with the most comprehensive information on vaccine-preventable diseases.

• Georgia Department of Public Health: Viral Hepatitis
  Website dedicated to viral hepatitis in Georgia.  Educational resources are available.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Link to educational materials written by the CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis for mothers and parents of children that will be or have been exposed to hepatitis B.
• HepB Moms
  Resource for hepatitis B positive women. Materials are available in multiple languages.
• Immunization Action Coalition
  Website for both providers and parents regarding perinatal hepatitis B prevention and hepatitis B vaccine.
• Hepatitis B Foundation
  This nonprofit hepatitis B website addresses commonly asked questions concerning hepatitis B.
• Asian Liver Foundation
  Nonprofit hepatitis B foundation that addresses HBV in the Asian community.
• State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SENDSS)
  Notifiable diseases and health conditions can be reported through DPH's electronic disease surveillance system.
• Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (GRITS)
  The Georgia Immunization Registry collects and maintains vaccination records.

The Georgia Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP) works to prevent perinatal hepatitis B transmission through case management, immunization, and follow-up care for infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers. In 2022, the program achieved high vaccination completion rates and immunity levels among infants while continuing efforts to address challenges such as incomplete follow-up testing and ensure equitable care across all regions. PHBPP remains dedicated to protecting infants and reducing the burden of hepatitis B in Georgia.

Georgia Perinatal Hep B Prevention Program 2022 Annual Report   (PDF, 784.03 KB)