Is the Hep b vaccine effective taken off schedule?
I started a program in the health field and was required to get the hep b vaccination. I got the first 2 shots (a month apart) and am supposed wait another 5 months before getting the 3rd shot. My husband and I are wanting to start a family. If I got pregnant and had to wait an extra few months until after the baby's born to get the 3rd shot will the vaccine be as effective, or does it have to be taken on schedule?
Re: Is the Hep b vaccine effective taken off schedule?
Shouldn't be a problem. One study (by Dr. Wolfgang Jilg, Marion Schmidt, and Friedrich Deinhardt, published in the Journal of Medical Virology) found the vaccine might work even better with the 3rd shot a year after the first, instead of 6 months.
Of course, you should not consider yourself protected until you've had all three.