Texas Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program

About the Program 

Established in 1991, the Texas Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program works alongside public and private healthcare providers and coalitions to prevent perinatal hepatitis B transmission. The Program assists with and provides surveillance, case management, promotion of the universal birth dose, and collaboration between local health departments, medical providers, and laboratories.  

Know the Facts 

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimated that in 2013 between 1,059 and 1,503 infants were born to women infected with hepatitis B. However, only 562 cases were reported to the Department of State Health Services. 

Our team works to support the awareness, prevention, and tracking of Hepatitis B. The Texas Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program aims to: 

• Ensure that all pregnant women are tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). 

• Ensure reporting and tracking of HBsAg-positive pregnant women. 

• Ensure that delivery facilities/hospitals receive all prenatal HBsAg lab reports prior to delivery. 

• Ensure identification and management of infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers. 

• Ensure reporting of infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers. 

• Ensure identification and case management of infants born to mothers of unknown HBsAg status. 

• Ensure timely completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series for all infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers. 

• Ensure timely completion of postvaccination serologic testing (PVST) for all infants born to HBsAg-positive women. 

• Ensure vaccination of household contacts 24 months of age and younger. 

• Ensure program quality, monitoring, and evaluation.