Low-birthweight and preterm newborns do not respond as well to hepatitis B–containing vaccines as full-term infants.12-14
Low-birthweight infants (<2000 g) and/or infants born at <32 weeks gestation (regardless of weight) are recommended to receive a 4-dose schedule at 0 (birth), 2, 4 and 6 months of age, followed by either:
giving a booster of a hepatitis B–containing vaccine at 12 months of age (without measuring the antibody titre), or
measuring the level of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen at 7 months of age; if the antibody titre is <10 mIU per mL, they should receive a booster at 12 months of age (because of a better immunogenic response at this age compared with a younger age)
