Hepatitis B vaccine and disease: Do newborns need a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease?
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Whose idea was it to begin vaccinating ALL NEWBORNS for a sexually transmitted disease? I had an interesting discussion with a doctor who used to work for the public health department. She told me that when her whole staff heard about this decision during the 1990s, they were dumbfounded. They saw no sense in it at all. But, they had no choice. The "powers that be" had made the decision, and they had to follow orders.
But given the fact that this disease is virtually unheard of during infancy or childhood (unless an infected mother passes it along to her newborn baby during the birth process, a situation that is preventable with proper screening and treatment), and also given the fact that the vaccine can cause fever, lethargy, poor feeding, and irritability in infants (according to the vaccine's product insert), making them appear to have caught a severe bacterial infection that requires IV antibiotics and invasive testing (when all it really is is a vaccine reaction), again I must ask, WHY?
I cannot tell you why. But I can tell you that by delaying this vaccine until your child is a few years old (according to my Alternative Vaccine Schedule), you avoid risking a severe reaction in your newborn that will put him in the hospital.
But given the fact that this disease is virtually unheard of during infancy or childhood (unless an infected mother passes it along to her newborn baby during the birth process, a situation that is preventable with proper screening and treatment), and also given the fact that the vaccine can cause fever, lethargy, poor feeding, and irritability in infants (according to the vaccine's product insert), making them appear to have caught a severe bacterial infection that requires IV antibiotics and invasive testing (when all it really is is a vaccine reaction), again I must ask, WHY?
I cannot tell you why. But I can tell you that by delaying this vaccine until your child is a few years old (according to my Alternative Vaccine Schedule), you avoid risking a severe reaction in your newborn that will put him in the hospital.
Labels: Vaccines and their diseases
posted by Dr. Bob Sears @ 8:44 AM
7 Comments:
At October 10, 2007 9:48 PM ,
Julie said...
Dr. Bob-
Those were my thoughts exactly when I chose not to have my baby vaccinated against Hep B at birth. He was premature at 34 weeks, we had it in our birth plan and told everyone in sight that we DID NOT want our child vaccinated against Hep B...but what happened? They vaccinated him anyway-against my wishes. Kaiser Permananente is a big beaurocracy and I am so angry. I can't sue because I cannot prove damages. Isn't there something I can do to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else? Thanks for your time.
Julie Joest
Fullerton, CA
At October 12, 2007 12:04 AM ,
Dr. Bob Sears said...
My book goes into great detail about the problems with vaccinating newborns with the Hep B vaccine. So I guess what you could do is help spread the word, and any pregnant mom you see let them know to think twice about that vaccine in the hospital.
At October 22, 2007 7:57 AM ,
Pamela said...
Between that and the eye goup..I just shake my head. Lets see, you get screened during pregnancy for STDs yet they still give the eye goup and hep b when its clear you dont have an STD.
I'm so glad I've educated myself.
At October 24, 2007 12:17 PM ,
JuliaZ said...
HOMEBIRTH!
Waterbirth if you choose it.
No "encouragement" to have pitocin, epidurals, the lithotomy position, internal fetal monitoring, IVs, vacuum or suction delivery, c-sections because medical personnel are tired of waiting, availability of infant mutilation (circumcision)... none of it.
Delay of cord clamping/cutting until the placenta delivers itself or until the cord falls off the baby on its own.
Get tested for the STDs, and then skip the eye goo (well, let the midwife look away while you rub the state-mandated eye goo on the back of your hand LOL).
No Hep B vaccination against your wishes! No other vaccinations either. No Vitamin K if you don't want it.
No separations of mom and baby.
No hospital germs.
No hospital schedule.
Breastfeeding when you're both ready.
Respect. Peace. Quiet. Your friends and family. Your favorite food, drinks, and music. Your own shower. Your own bed. Bliss.
At April 13, 2009 9:12 PM ,
Joebob said...
Home birth - fine for healthy babies with no complications. But you don't KNOW that until the baby is born. Anything goes wrong , you live the rest of your life condemning yourself for not having qualified medical personnel and facilities available to safely bring a fragile human into the world .
At June 30, 2009 7:21 PM ,
fungsui said...
Home Birth is the way to go. You have to have a back up plan in case a hospital is needed. Many midwife teams have medical personnel who support what they do. Our perfect baby was born right at home with no complications or unnecessary interventions like they do at the hospitals. Or check into birthing centers. Many midwives are also nurses (who do all the work before the doctor gets there to "deliver"). I would say they are "qualified medical personnel".
At August 9, 2009 1:24 PM ,
Brian and Ashley said...
Our newborn had the HEp B Vaccine shot the first day in the hospital. Do I need to continue the rest of the series? Would it be harmful to not continue the series of shots? What would you recommend?
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