engleski

Vaccination in the newborn age - our experience and dilemmas

Total number of life births in Croatia is around 43.000 last 5 years, what’s mean that the number of newborn babies on 1.000 habitants is 9.63 every year, what is less in comparison with United States of America (13.83). In our maternity ward, every year we have around 3.300 newborn babies. According to current laws and regarding a Calendar of vaccinations, all newborns in our maternity wards receiving two obligatory vaccines: against tuberculosis (TBC) and hepatitis B (HB). Many of well developed world countries not implemented vaccination against TBC as obligatory in newborn age, but in Croatia, TBC is till now very important public-health problem. Every year we register 15-20 new cases on the 100.000 habitants. From the beginning of year 2007, all newborn babies getting in the maternity wards the first dosage HB vaccine. All newborns of HBsAg positive mothers get also the passive vaccine against HB. During a year 2010, we used passive HB immunization in 4 newborn babies (0.12%), and in a 2011, in 12 cases (0.37%). By the established immunization protocols, we use the passive immunization against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and active Rota virus vaccine for all risk premature babies, newborns and infants. We noted very high vaccination rate against TB i HB in our maternity ward (over 99 %), regardless anyone of newborn babies doesn’t have contraindication for vaccination. On average 3.300 doses this both vaccines per year, we don’t noticed local or systemic short-time reactions. Therefore, the reason why we did not have a 100% vaccination coverage, is not founded by professional or medical reasons. Many times we have problems with the parents of newborn babies, which wouldn’t to agree and give consent on obligatory vaccination. They do so because of specially life concepts (back to the nature life-styles), and a fear of possible reactions on vaccines, specially long-terms complications and neurobehavioral problems. Parents sometimes refuse immunization due the pain that is caused by the application of vaccines. Regarding to these opinions, approach by the parents must be professionally and arguments, taking into consideration the individual, collective and global impact of vaccines, particularly the benefits of the eradication of infectious diseases. Our doubts and problems with parents could be resolved due the developed ethical principles of vaccines in children, increased levels of awareness by parents about the importance of vaccines and introduced protocols to reduce pain during application of vaccines.

vaccine ; newborn

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