Hepatitis B vaccine

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Date: February 2026, Version 5.0

Quick read

Hepatitis B vaccine can be used in pregnancy.

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and can lead to lasting liver damage and/or liver cancer.

Hepatitis B is passed on through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person.

If you catch hepatitis B while pregnant, the virus can pass to your baby before, during, or after birth. Up to one in every three babies infected in this way will develop serious liver disease. Some (but not all) studies have also linked hepatitis B infection in pregnancy to preterm birth and low birth weight in the baby.

Hepatitis B is uncommon in the UK. You are most at risk of catching it while travelling to specific countries and areas.

Benefits

What are the benefits of hepatitis B vaccination in pregnancy?

Vaccination reduces your risk of catching hepatitis B and therefore avoids complications for you and your baby.

Risks

What are the risks of hepatitis B vaccination during pregnancy?

There are no known risks of being vaccinated against hepatitis B during pregnancy. The Department of Health in the UK recommends that hepatitis B vaccine can be given to pregnant women if required.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to hepatitis B vaccination in pregnancy?

It may sometimes be possible to avoid exposure to hepatitis B virus by not travelling to certain areas or by adapting your work role. If these things are not possible, it is advised that you are vaccinated against hepatitis B.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to be vaccinated against hepatitis B in pregnancy?

Catching hepatitis B virus in pregnancy can lead to you becoming ill, and lifelong complications for your baby. There is no evidence that the vaccine causes harm. If you prefer not to be vaccinated, you should avoid exposure to hepatitis B virus. However, vaccination is strongly recommended if you are at risk of exposure, as there are clear benefits to you and your baby. A doctor or midwife will be happy to discuss any concerns.

Will my baby need extra monitoring?

Women in the UK will be offered a detailed scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of routine antenatal care. Vaccination against hepatitis B in pregnancy is not expected to cause problems that would require any extra monitoring of your baby. 

Are there any risks to my baby if the father has been vaccinated against hepatitis B?

We would not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father received a hepatitis B vaccination around the time of conception.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.