Under the current National Immunization Schedule, the hepatitis B birth dose should be administered to every infant:
- A Only if the mother is HBsAg positive
- B Within 24 hours of birth, irrespective of maternal HBsAg status ✓
- C Only for preterm babies below 2000 g
- D Along with the 6 week pentavalent dose
Correct answer: B. Within 24 hours of birth, irrespective of maternal HBsAg status
Explanation
The monovalent hepatitis B birth dose is recommended for ALL institutional deliveries within 24 hours of birth, because perinatal transmission accounts for a large share of chronic carriage in high endemicity countries. Waiting for maternal serology misses infants of unscreened mothers. Preterm low birth weight babies still receive the birth dose. The pentavalent doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks do not replace the birth dose.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.