Doylestown Hospital recognized for hepatitis B vaccine birth dose rate

Doylestown Hospital’s VIA Maternity Center was recognized by the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) and the Pennsylvania State Health Department for achieving one of the highest reported hepatitis B vaccination rates in the state.
Doylestown Hospital is the newest entry into the IAC’s Birth Dose Honor Roll, which recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that have attained high coverage levels for administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The VIA Maternity Center immunized 90% of babies in 2020 and took additional steps to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B.
“Our patients are educated and know what is right for their newborns,” said Shehla Siddiqui, MD, medical director of CHOP Newborn Care at Doylestown Hospital. “Our community pediatricians are well aware of the importance of timely vaccination. At Doylestown Hospital, we are a close-knit, cohesive group of neonatologists who work together in harmony and agree with each other, and especially with the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines.”

The national standard of care to prevent hepatitis B virus infection in babies is to administer the vaccine to all newborns at birth. This standard is being adopted nationwide as a safety net to protect newborns from a wide range of medical errors that can lead to perinatal hepatitis B infection.
In addition to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommend the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns. Hepatitis B is highly infectious and can lead to serious illness or death in infants. It also puts them at higher risk for liver cancer.

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