Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For decades, the hepatitis B vaccine has been recommended for babies. That’s because the risks of hepatitis B infection for newborns can lead to lifelong disease, including liver failure, liver cancer and death. The California Department of Public Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics continue to recommend giving newborns a dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Additional doses are recommended at 1-2 months and 6-18 months.
Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, explains why it is so important for children to be vaccinated for hepatitis B. He also explains symptoms, and treatment options, and debunks some common myths about hepatitis B.
Descriptive audio is available for this video in audio settings.
Additional resources:
Why the hepatitis B vaccine is critical for newborns: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/why-the-hepatitis-b-vaccine-is-critical-for-newborns/2025/12
Learn more about the childhood vaccine schedule: youtu.be/vGM3PLuCjdI
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At UC Davis Children’s Hospital, we put your child at the center of everything that we do. It’s personalized care, uniquely sized for your child. You’ll see it in our child-friendly designs throughout the hospital, our farm-to-fork approach to dining, our playrooms and teen rooms and our team that feels like family. UC Davis Children’s Hospital is Sacramento’s only nationally ranked, comprehensive hospital for children, serving infants, children, adolescents and young adults with primary, subspecialty and critical care.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital: https://children.ucdavis.edu
Children’s Surgery Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/childrens-surgery-center/
Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/child-life/
Fetal Care and Treatment Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/fetal-care-treatment-center/
See the latest news from UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/newsroom
Kids Considered podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM7qvIv8N9Rtl7F3ziKi_A-dm0eKSvQBt
Facebook: facebook.com/UCDavisChildrensHospital
Instagram: instagram.com/ucdavischildren
Twitter/X: twitter.com/UCDavisChildren
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0:00 What is hepatitis B?
0:54 How is hepatitis B transmitted?
2:06 How is hepatitis B treated?
2:30 Why is it important for children to get the hepatitis B vaccine?
3:51 How safe and effective is the hepatitis B vaccine?
The information in this video was accurate as of the upload date, 12/10/25. For information purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice.
#HepatitisB #HepBVaccine #InfantVaccines #PediatricHealth #VaccineEducation
For decades, the hepatitis B vaccine has been recommended for babies. That’s because the risks of hepatitis B infection for newborns can lead to lifelong disease, including liver failure, liver cancer and death. The California Department of Public Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics continue to recommend giving newborns a dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Additional doses are recommended at 1-2 months and 6-18 months.
Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, explains why it is so important for children to be vaccinated for hepatitis B. He also explains symptoms, and treatment options, and debunks some common myths about hepatitis B.
Descriptive audio is available for this video in audio settings.
Additional resources:
Why the hepatitis B vaccine is critical for newborns: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/why-the-hepatitis-b-vaccine-is-critical-for-newborns/2025/12
Learn more about the childhood vaccine schedule: youtu.be/vGM3PLuCjdI
——
At UC Davis Children’s Hospital, we put your child at the center of everything that we do. It’s personalized care, uniquely sized for your child. You’ll see it in our child-friendly designs throughout the hospital, our farm-to-fork approach to dining, our playrooms and teen rooms and our team that feels like family. UC Davis Children’s Hospital is Sacramento’s only nationally ranked, comprehensive hospital for children, serving infants, children, adolescents and young adults with primary, subspecialty and critical care.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital: https://children.ucdavis.edu
Children’s Surgery Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/childrens-surgery-center/
Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/child-life/
Fetal Care and Treatment Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/fetal-care-treatment-center/
See the latest news from UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/newsroom
Kids Considered podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM7qvIv8N9Rtl7F3ziKi_A-dm0eKSvQBt
Facebook: facebook.com/UCDavisChildrensHospital
Instagram: instagram.com/ucdavischildren
Twitter/X: twitter.com/UCDavisChildren
——
0:00 What is hepatitis B?
0:54 How is hepatitis B transmitted?
2:06 How is hepatitis B treated?
2:30 Why is it important for children to get the hepatitis B vaccine?
3:51 How safe and effective is the hepatitis B vaccine?
The information in this video was accurate as of the upload date, 12/10/25. For information purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice.
#HepatitisB #HepBVaccine #InfantVaccines #PediatricHealth #VaccineEducation
