If a child did not receive the birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine should you start Pediarix on the first office visit?
Yes, you can. We would prefer that the first dose be given as Hepatitis B vaccine in the hospital as a birth dose. However, if for some reason the did not get it – for instance, you documented that the mother was Hepatitis B surface antigen negative – it is appropriate to use Pediarix or Comvax for that matter. Remember, both of these vaccines (Pediarix and Comvax) should not be given before 6 weeks of age. These are not vaccines that you can give at one month of age. You wait until they are at least 6 weeks of age.
Related Questions
- If a child receives a birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine, and then Pediarix at 2 months and 8 months, does there need to be an eight week interval between the 2 and 3 dose of Pediarix?
- Since Pediarix is now available, should we continue to give a birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine?
- What if my child was not given HBIG and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth?
