Which vaccine is administered at birth?

The Hepatitis B vaccine is the one typically administered at birth. This is crucial because Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can lead to chronic liver disease and even liver cancer. Administering the vaccine soon after birth helps protect newborns and infants, especially since they can be at risk of contracting the virus from their mothers during childbirth if the mother is infected.

The initial dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended within the first 24 hours of life, which is an important step in reducing the incidence of the disease in the population. The other vaccines listed are given at different ages; for example, DTaP is usually given starting at two months of age, MMR is administered at around one year, and the polio vaccine also begins at two months of age, which illustrates the importance of the timing of immunization schedules in pediatric care.