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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it has changed its guidance on hepatitis B vaccination for some infants. Parents of babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B can now decide, with their health care provider, whether and when their child receives the hepatitis B vaccine, including the dose usually given at birth. This approach is called shared clinical decision-making.

Under this guidance, parents and providers should talk about the benefits and risks of the vaccine, as well as the child’s risk of infection. Risk factors may include living with someone who has hepatitis B or having close contact with people from countries where the virus is common. If parents choose to skip the birth dose, the CDC suggests the first dose be given no earlier than two months of age.

The child immunization schedule and clinical guidance will be updated to reflect this change. The current recommendations do not change for infants born to mothers who test positive for hepatitis B or whose status is unknown. Coverage for the vaccine will remain available through public programs and private insurance plans.