Glad to be back on Lactnet after a few months...
The new Hepatitis B vaccine is elaborated with genetic engeneering
techniques and do not use live viruses anymore. Instead, it reproduces
only the antigenic part of the virus (the part that will promt the body
into producing the protective antibodies) and that is what is given to
the client. Thus safe for pregnant women (gasp !), little babies and,
you guessed, breastfeeding women. Just make sure she gets a
"recombinant" vaccine, known here as Recombivax or Engerix, depending on
the manufacturer.
Louise Denhez, M.D., M.P.H
Chargee d'enseignement clinique
Departement de medecine sociale et preventive