Which of the following vaccines is administered to the baby at birth?

AIIMS Bhopal NO - 2018 (Shift-1st)

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhopal NO - 2018 (Shift-1st)

Explanation

The Hepatitis B vaccine is a key component of the primary immunization schedule, with the first dose recommended at birth.
According to the National Immunization Schedule (NIS) in India and WHO recommendations, the Hepatitis B vaccine should be administered within 24 hours of birth.
This birth dose is critical for preventing perinatal (mother-to-child) transmission of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV).
If a mother is HBsAg positive, the infant receives both the Hepatitis B vaccine and Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) within 12-24 hours of birth for maximum protection.

Option B: Rotavirus vaccine is an oral vaccine given to protect against rotaviral diarrhea, but the first dose is not administered at birth.
Option C: The Rubella vaccine is not given at birth. It is a live attenuated vaccine.
Option D: The Measles vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine and is not administered at birth.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain National Immunization Schedule for newborns as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
The birth dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine is a critical public health intervention to prevent vertical transmission and reduce the burden of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer in the population.
Nurses play a vital role in ensuring that all newborns receive their birth dose of vaccines before hospital discharge and in educating parents about the importance of completing the immunization schedule.
What if? If a mother's Hepatitis B status is unknown at the time of delivery, the infant should still receive the Hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours. If the mother is later found to be HBsAg-positive, the infant should receive Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) as soon as possible (ideally within 7 days of birth).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core question, which is about vaccines administered 'at birth'. This is a specific time point in the immunization schedule.
Recall the National Immunization Schedule. The vaccines given at birth are a foundational piece of knowledge.
The 'at birth' vaccines are Hepatitis B (birth dose), Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV-0), and Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG).
Evaluate the given options against this knowledge. Hepatitis B is on the list.
Consider the other options. Rotavirus, Measles, and Rubella are all important childhood vaccines, but their administration starts later (weeks or months after birth).
Select Hepatitis B as the correct answer because it is the only vaccine in the options that is routinely given at birth.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QC3JcrjBSq5OvNdselULkA

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 pp. 1613-1615, 1597-1599

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 198-200