December 05, 2025
A national advisory committee voted today to change its guidance on newborn hepatitis B vaccination, recommending shared decision-making rather than universal vaccination for infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers. Despite this shift, Denver Health will continue recommending the hepatitis B vaccine on the day of birth for all newborns. This decision is based on the presence of hepatitis B in our community, the risk of exposure from mothers without prenatal care or household contacts and the continued safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
Hepatitis B is a serious infection that affects about 2 million Americans, with nearly half unaware they're infected. The disease poses the greatest danger to infants: up to 90% of babies infected at birth develop chronic hepatitis B, and one in four that are infected will die early in life. The good news is that vaccination works. When given at birth with hepatitis B immunoglobulin, the vaccine prevents about 90% of infections passed from mother to baby. It also protects newborns from exposure to infected family members they might encounter at home. Decades of research confirm the vaccine is safe, with no significant side effects identified.
Denver Health doctors and nurses should continue discussing the benefits of birth dose vaccination with families and recommending the hepatitis B vaccine on the day of birth. Parents who prefer to wait can have their baby vaccinated at 2 months of age or sooner if they choose. These recommendations follow decades of evidence and align with guidance from major medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Denver Health will reassess this approach if insurance coverage changes affect our patients.
