Increasing compliance over five years in a hepatitis B infant immunization program in Saudi Arabia

Immunization of babies born to hepatitis B carrier mothers at King Fahad National Guard Hospital began in July 1984. Thirteen months into the program, it was learned that 3.8% of the mothers were HBsAg positive, that less than half of the pregnant women came for any prenatal care, and that only 28% of the infants at risk completed the vaccination series. During the first five years (1984-88) of the program, there were 13,000 newborns, of whom 490 were born to hepatitis carrier mothers. The percentage of women who came for the least one prenatal visit increased from 46% in 1984 to 66% in 1987. Analysis showed that the percentage of return for the second vaccination increased from 49% in 1984 to 74% in 1988, and for the third vaccination from 21% in 1984 to 51% in 1988. Of 127 infants tested, 126 were HBsAg negative and one was borderline positive. Of 125 infants tested for anti-HBs, 87% showed seroconversion.