BACKGROUND:
In 2004, the Massachusetts Immunization Program conducted a birth hospital record review of infants born 1/1 - 6/30/2001, 6-12 months after birth hospitals had reported reinstatement of routine administration of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine (hep B-1). The purpose was to determine the percent of infants who received hep B-1 in hospital, and to compare these results with a record review conducted in 2000 of infants born in the 6 months before the 1999 joint statement about thimerosal and childhood vaccines.

OBJECTIVE:
To share results of the 2004 record review and to compare them to the 2000 results.

METHOD:
385 randomly-selected paired maternal and newborn records were reviewed. Data were collected and analysed in light of relevant recommendations and regulations.

RESULT:
92% of newborns had documentation of having received hep B-1 at birth. In addition, birth hospitals and obstertic providers demonstrate excellent adherence to regulations regarding screening pregnant women for HBsAg (99%) and rubella immunity (99%). 63% of rubella-susceptible and rubella status unknown women received a rubella-containing vaccine prior to hospital discharge.

CONCLUSION:
The hep B-1 results of the 2004 survey are similar to the results of the 2000 survey, confirming that birth hospitals has reinstated routine administration of hep B-1. There was a marked improvement in the percent of rubella-susceptible and rubella status unknown women who received rubella-containing vaccine in the hospital, from 0% in 2000, to 63% in 2004.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Describe ACIP, AAP, and ACOG recommendations and Massachusetts regulations regarding HBsAg and rubella screening and documentation, administration of hep B-1 at birth, and administration of rubella-containing vaccine to rubella-susceptible and rubella status unknown postpartum women. Identify a survey tool to evalulate adherence to these recommendations.