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The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia recommends that all Australian babies are vaccinated against Hepatitis B. The first vaccination occurs before you leave hospital with your baby and should occur within seven days of birth. A further three doses are given from two months of age onward, using combination vaccines when other vaccines are due. The four doses are recommended to provide long term protection against this disease. You will be given an information sheet about Hepatitis B and asked to consider this and then sign the consent form for your baby to be vaccinated. Please ask your midwife or doctor if you have any questions.
Vitamin K is necessary to help blood clot and is essential to prevent serious bleeding. There is a rare disease called vitamin K deficiency bleeding, which can be prevented by giving babies a dose of Vitamin K at birth. The most common way to give this is by one injection soon after birth. It may also be given orally but three doses are required to give protection as Vitamin K is not well absorbed orally.
Medical recommendations are that all babies receive Vitamin K, as this is a very simple way to prevent this rare disorder. Vitamin K has been given to new born babies in Australia for almost 25 years and does not seem to have caused any problems for babies. When you are admitted to hospital to give birth you will be asked if you consent to your baby receiving this Vitamin. Please ask your midwife or doctor if you have any further questions.
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