A small blister or sore appears where the injection is given. This is quite normal. It gradually heals leaving a small scar. There are several different types of hepatitis and they all cause inflammation of the liver. The hepatitis B virus is passed through infected blood and may also be sexually transmitted.
Some people carry the virus in their blood without actually having the disease itself.
If a pregnant woman is a hepatitis B carrier, or gets the disease during pregnancy, she can pass it on to her child. The child may not be ill but has a high chance of becoming a carrier and developing liver disease later in life. Yes, all pregnant women will be offered testing for hepatitis B during their ante-natal care. Babies born to infected mothers will receive a course of vaccine to prevent them getting hepatitis B and becoming a carrier. The first dose should be given shortly after or within 24 hours of birth, and two more doses should be given at one and two months with a booster at 12 months.