The number of newborns vaccinated at birth against hepatitis B has fallen slightly over the past four years, according to the new Infant Hepatitis B Immunization Data dashboard launched by Oregon Health Authority (OHA).
Likewise, the number of birth parents who are screened for hepatitis B during pregnancy has also decreased, the dashboard shows.
“It’s very concerning to see the number of babies getting a dose of hepatitis B vaccine after birth going down while the number of birth parents screened for hepatitis B is also decreasing,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., state health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA’s Public Health Division.
“This dangerous combination puts more babies at risk for the devastating effects of hepatitis B, which can impact them throughout their lifetimes. The hepatitis B vaccine has been extremely successful at almost eliminating these illnesses, and with decreasing vaccination rates, we will see more children get sick,” he said.
OHA and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend all babies receive a dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) within 24 hours of birth, regardless of the birth parent’s hepatitis B status.
The new dashboard tracks data going back to 2020, including:
- The percentage of infants who have received a birth dose of HepB statewide and by county.
- HepB birth vaccination rates reported by individual birth hospitals.
- Rates of hepatitis B screening of the birth parent by facility.
In 2024, 82% of infants born statewide received the HepB birth dose, down from 86% in 2022, with county-level rates ranging from 60% to 90%.
Statewide, the rate of birth parent hepatitis B screening was 94%, down from 96% two years earlier.
If a pregnant person is infected with hepatitis B, they can spread it to their newborn during childbirth.
Screening for hepatitis B during pregnancy is critical and guides treatment of infants born to people with the virus.
Most Oregon hospitals reported screening rates exceeding 90% or higher in 2024. Some facilities reported rates below 80%.
Facts about hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a highly infectious virus that attacks the liver and can lead to chronic liver disease, liver cancer, liver failure and death.
It spreads easily, even without visible blood or body fluids and can survive on surfaces for up to seven days.
Before the United States adopted a recommendation for universal infant hepatitis B vaccination in 1991, thousands of children were infected each year—at birth and during childhood.
Infants and young children are especially vulnerable: up to 90% of infants infected at birth develop chronic infection, and about 25% of infected children will eventually die from cirrhosis or liver cancer if left untreated.
The vaccine is effective, well tolerated, and decades of global data support its safety. In December, the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) strongly recommended the hepatitis B vaccination continue to be routinely offered to all newborns, with the first dose given within 24 hours of birth for newborns weighing at least 2,000 grams (4 pounds, 7 ounces), followed by completion of the vaccine series.
HepB vaccination of all newborns within 24 hours of birth, followed by completion of the HepB vaccination series, is essential to protecting infants and young children, who are at greatest risk from complications from hepatitis B.
OHA’s new Infant Hepatitis B Immunization dashboard will be updated annually every April. Data for 2025 will be available in the coming months.
