If infection does develop, these injections reduce the chance of the baby acquiring liver cancer or of becoming a lifelong carrier of the disease. Yes, you should make arrangements for blood tests for your baby 6 months after birth and again at about 1 year after birth. Then, depending on the test results, additional vaccine may be given to your baby. Your physician can arrange for additional blood tests. These tests can determine not only if you are an infectious carrier, but whether your condition is likely to improve over time.
Some carriers are minimally infectious and can lead normal lives.
Others, however, must be extremely cautious about passing the disease to other people. The hepatitis vaccine, unfortunately, will be of no value to you if you have had or currently have hepatitis. Yes, if your baby is immunized with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis vaccine. Breast milk of infectious mothers does contain small amounts of hepatitis B virus. The infants of these mothers continue to be exposed to the virus in other ways.