Increase in Hep B refusal?

Published

Do you see a trend in parents refusing the Hep B vaccines for their babies?

Specializes in Midwifery.
To RPH3364:

What reasons do the parents give for the refusal? We have some parents who say they will have it given, but want to wait until the baby's office check up. Do you track refusals and the reasons? We did that for a while to try to determine the reasons.

Not particularly interested in why they refuse. Its there baby, not mine. Plus its a pointless vaccine (the timing). Here they are covered fully with the routine schedule. Most newborns are not in high risk groups for Hep B. Am far more interested in the things that promote long term health and well being, not just preventing a just in case disease by stabbing a 30 minute old kid full of vaccine, of which we really have NO research (long term) to say is safe.:redpinkhe

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Specializes in Midwifery.
I don't know, as I am a pharmacist, not a nurse. It is required for school attendance in our state, so I'm guessing they just want to have it given later on.

Hep B at birth is a requirement for school? Bloody hell! Do parents have an option? Or no hep b no school?

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
Hep B at birth is a requirement for school? Bloody hell! Do parents have an option? Or no hep b no school?

I think she's saying that kids have to have the HepB series on board by the time they get to school....not that they have to get it at birth in order to be able to attend school. It's like that in my state as well.

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I think she's saying that kids have to have the HepB series on board by the time they get to school....not that they have to get it at birth in order to be able to attend school. It's like that in my state as well.

That's what I meant.

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Specializes in geriatrics, L&D, newborns.

My children are older so the Hep B vaccine was not out when they were babies. However, I waited to start my younger daughter's vaccinations until she was 2 months old. I was breastfeeding so I figured that gave her some immunity and I wanted to wait until her immune system was more mature. I see no reason to vaccinate infants against Hep B. It is just one more assault on their immune systems.

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