What is the BCG vaccination for? BCG vaccination in newborns (in the maternity hospital)

What does a newly born person have to face? little man? There are many pleasant moments: meeting loved ones for the first time, living independently, learning about the world around you. But there are also troubling aspects to this diversity. After birth, every baby has a chance of becoming infected with dangerous and sometimes incurable diseases for the first time. To reduce the risk of infection with severe pathologies, pediatricians recommend certain vaccinations for newborns in the maternity hospital.

Abrupt job changes internal organs lead to a decrease in immunity, and in order to stimulate it a little in the first hours after birth, you need to be vaccinated against hepatitis B and tuberculosis. How safe are such manipulations for children? Do newborns need to be vaccinated in the hospital?

What vaccinations are given to newborns in the maternity hospital?

There is a misconception that the mother’s immunity will completely protect the child after birth. Many people think that during breastfeeding You cannot become infected with something that your mother was vaccinated against at one time. This is wrong. Some infectious diseases actually leave lasting immunity for life, but only to those who have had the disease.

Important vaccines were added to the vaccination calendar, each at its proper time. For example, the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough is given for the first time at 3 months - before this period, the child is still protected from such infections by the mother's helper cells.

What vaccinations are given to newborns in the maternity hospital? In the first hours of life, doctors try to protect the baby from viral hepatitis B. Such an infectious disease in a weakened body can cause, first of all, disruption of the digestive and nervous systems.

The second equally important vaccination is prevention too infectious disease, which haunts above all respiratory system- This is an almost incurable tuberculosis. An increase in the incidence of this disease has been observed in recent decades, and treatment, in many cases, is ineffective due to the development of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to antibiotics. done in the maternity hospital 3–5 days after birth, because when meeting with infected person the child is not completely protected.

Prevention of hepatitis B in newborns

Most often, the very first injection of a child is a vaccination against infectious viral hepatitis B. Why did doctors not ignore this particular disease and decide to vaccinate newly born babies? Is it possible to refuse this vaccination in the maternity hospital? There are many important reasons for primary prevention of hepatitis.

1. The liver is one of the most important organs person. It begins to function fully in the first minutes of life and acts as a cleansing system. Here, the destruction of unnecessary “mother’s” blood cells - red blood cells - occurs with the formation of bilirubin.
2. The first meal and taking medications puts a strain on this organ.
3. The production of hormones and the absorption of any products also occur in the liver.
4. Even in the maternity hospital, you can meet a person who is a carrier of hepatitis B (in the latent form of the disease, close relatives want to visit the mother and baby, who once suffered from hepatitis B and are not observed).
5. Long incubation period hepatitis B virus (up to 12 weeks) helps hide the manifestations of the disease in initial stage.
6. The rapid spread of hepatitis B virus and its persistence in external environment is a predisposing factor to infection of others.

Therefore, the child is at risk for this disease. Vaccination against hepatitis B for newborns is not easy - it is the only way to protect the baby from the disease and its consequences. And since his body is more susceptible to any infection in the first hours of life, vaccination is carried out immediately after birth. All children are vaccinated unless there are contraindications. This is one of the few vaccines that is well tolerated and occurs without significant reactions.

Where are newborns vaccinated against hepatitis? Infants grafted intramuscularly into the anterior outer part of the thigh.

You can refuse vaccination, but you need to warn doctors about this in advance, even before giving birth. This way you can avoid unforeseen situations in the event that the mother suffered a difficult birth, and after waking up she found out that the child was vaccinated without her consent. The refusal must be made in writing in duplicate.

Should a newborn be vaccinated against hepatitis B?

What are the pros and cons of hepatitis B vaccination for newborns? Why should you vaccinate your baby?

1. The incidence of hepatitis throughout the world is growing every day. According to WHO, there are about 2 billion people infected with the hepatitis B virus. And only in 350 million of them the disease reaches the stage of severe clinical manifestations.
2. Only those infected with hepatitis B can become infected with another serious disease - hepatitis D.
3. By agreeing to the vaccination, the mother protects the child from a serious infection, which causes complications not only in the digestive system.
4. Many people are scared by some false reactions for vaccination against hepatitis in newborns. But yellow skin 3–5 days after birth is not a complication. This is common physiological state newborn, which occurs when the mother's hemoglobin breaks down. It happens to everyone, but varying degrees, therefore, it is not a contraindication, as many people think.
5. It is especially necessary to vaccinate the child for those parents who have a family member with hepatitis.

Which children should not be vaccinated?

1. Premature babies. In this case, vaccination is delayed for 2 months.
2. Kids with high temperature body - until the condition normalizes.

It is difficult to track a baby’s reaction to the components of the vaccine, since after birth the body reacts to everything. The second vaccination against hepatitis for newborns is given a month later. If a reaction occurs, the next vaccination is contraindicated.

Prevention of tuberculosis in newborns

The list of first vaccinations for newborns in the maternity hospital also includes an important vaccine - BCG. This incomprehensible abbreviation stands for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, named after the French scientists who created it. The drug protects against tuberculosis infection. The classic manifestation of the disease is pulmonary tuberculosis. But mycobacteria affect others no less important systems:

Tuberculosis vaccination for newborns is carried out 3–7 days after birth. Why tax the immune system in the first week of a newborn baby’s life?

1. The rapid spread of tuberculosis infection throughout the body leads to the development of severe complications.
2. Over the past decades, thanks to vaccinations, the incidence has decreased.
3. About 25,000 people die from the infection every year.
4. In developing countries, the epidemiological situation regarding tuberculosis is still tense.

Where are newborns vaccinated against tuberculosis? This is the border of the upper and middle third of the left shoulder.

BCG is administered strictly intradermally. Since the vaccine consists of live attenuated avirulent (non-infectious) mycobacterium tuberculosis, it is stored in a separate room under lock and key, and the ampoule unused during the day is destroyed. Therefore, before vaccinating your baby, make sure that you have taken a new ampoule.

Reaction of a newborn's body to tuberculosis vaccination

The body of a newborn child can react differently to vaccination against tuberculosis infection. And this is one of the most unpleasant moments in vaccination.

When newborns are vaccinated against tuberculosis, the following reactions may occur.

1. Local reaction in the form of a scar. Changes in the injection area occur gradually: inflammation of the tissue, necrosis or necrosis, possibly the formation of an ulcer, which after a few weeks turns into a scar.
2. Expressed general reaction does not occur in a newborn. The baby may be lethargic for several days.
3. Inflammation of the armpits and cervical lymph nodes.
4. Generalized infection, bone osteitis.
5. Keloid scar.

Should vaccinations be given in the maternity hospital? Yes, because no one knows what awaits the baby beyond the boundaries of this medical institution. The fact that vaccinations are necessary is supported by a decrease in the incidence of last years after the start of general vaccination. Every child is at risk of developing some complications from vaccination. But any of them is incommensurate with the risk of transferring inflammatory process in the liver, as is the case with hepatitis B, or one day become infected with tuberculosis and carry out multiple courses of therapy, which are not always effective. To determine the pros and cons of vaccinations for newborns in the maternity hospital, a few weeks before birth, you should consult with a knowledgeable specialist and decide the fate of your baby yourself.

The question of vaccination traditionally arises for all parents of newborn children. Vaccinations are one of the most effective modern medicine child protection products weak immunity from infections of various kinds. There are many opponents of vaccination (since the eighties), who base their conclusions on cases of complications after vaccinations. So it’s better to let the baby’s immunity strengthen without outside help Or should I still play it safe and get the required vaccinations?

BCG vaccination (against tuberculosis) in the maternity hospital

This vaccination is strongly recommended by doctors due to the possible rapid infection , even in the absence of contact with the patient. Lack of immunity to tuberculosis is high risk for the baby after discharge from the hospital. Vaccination is usually done on the third day of life , by injecting the vaccine under the skin of the left shoulder.

BCG. Contraindications for vaccination

• Cases of acquired (congenital) immunodeficiency in a child’s family.
• Complications after this vaccination in other children in the family.
• Insufficiency (congenital) of the functions of any enzymes.
• Perinatal lesions of the central nervous system.
• Severe hereditary diseases.

BCG postponed indefinitely in situations such as:

• Infectious processes in the child's body.
• Hemolytic disease (due to incompatibility of maternal and child blood).
• Prematurity.

Possible complications after BCG vaccination in a newborn

• Ulceration of the infiltrate.
• Subcutaneous infiltrate (with deep injection of the vaccine).
• Keloid (scar).
• Infection that has spread to the lymph nodes.

Vaccination of a newborn against viral Hepatitis B (three times up to one year)

Hepatitis B infection can even occur from microscopic dose of infected blood from a patient , if it enters the child’s body through mucous membranes or damaged skin. Penetration of infection into children's body V early age contributes to the strengthening of the infection and its formation in chronic hepatitis. The vaccine is injected into the child's thigh before discharge from the hospital . Exceptions: children with hepatitis transmitted from the mother (within 12 hours after birth) and premature babies (after reaching a body weight of 2 kg). Protection against hepatitis B (for 15 years) is provided only by full course vaccinations.

Vaccination against Hepatitis B. Contraindications for vaccination for a baby in the maternity hospital

• Body weight is less than two kilograms.
• Purulent-septic diseases.
• Intrauterine infections.
• Hemolytic disease.
• CNS lesions.

Vaccination against Hepatitis B. Possible complications in an infant

• Temperature increase.
• Induration (redness) at the vaccination site.
• Slight malaise.
• Muscle (joint) pain.
• Rash, hives.

Is it really necessary to vaccinate a child in the maternity hospital?

Oddly enough, the opinions of experts on this issue are not in agreement. Some are sure that Vaccination is not advisable for a child in the first hours of his life , due to a weak immune response and, accordingly, the pointlessness of vaccination. That is, in their opinion, immunity against hepatitis B simply cannot be formed at this age, and vaccination should be postponed for three months.
Others argue for the need this vaccination.

It is important to know! Basic rules for vaccinating a newborn in the maternity hospital

• The administration of the tuberculosis vaccine should be carried out into the child's hip , namely in its front side part.
• Injection into the buttock produces a lesser immune response, and in addition can cause complications such as damage to the nerve trunk and swelling due to penetration into the subcutaneous tissue.
• Vaccinate your child against tuberculosis not allowed at home - only in a medical facility.
• Vaccination against tuberculosis cannot be combined with other vaccinations .
• If the child is sick, vaccination is canceled without fail. Vaccination, in in this case, carried out a month after final recovery.
• Vaccination not recommended in hot weather .
• You should not visit public places with the baby before vaccination, as well as after the administration of a live vaccine.
• During vaccinations it is undesirable to interrupt feeding , and also bathe the baby.

Where are newborn vaccinations performed?

How to refuse vaccination of a child in the maternity hospital

Every mother (father) has full right to refuse vaccination. All vaccinations for children under the age of majority must be carried out exclusively with the consent of their parents. It happens that, contrary to the law, vaccinations are carried out in maternity hospitals without even informing the mother. How to protect your rights and your child if you are against vaccination?

• Write statement of refusal to vaccinate (in advance) in duplicate, paste it into the antenatal clinic card, which is usually taken to the maternity hospital. As for the second copy, it will be needed for postpartum department. The signature of the child's father is required on applications.
• Immediately upon admission to the maternity hospital warn doctors verbally about the refusal . It should be remembered that inclination to consent to vaccination occurs due to sanctions imposed on doctors for failure to fulfill the “vaccination plan”. Therefore, do not sign any papers until you have read them completely.
• Sometimes in the maternity hospital they ask for consent if necessary medical interventions for assistance during childbirth. There, among the points, you may also find vaccination of a child. You can safely cross out this point.
• If you are determined to refuse vaccination, prepare for psychological pressure by health workers. Arguing with them is a waste of nerves, but if you have them like steel ropes, then You can explain your refusal in different ways : “There is an allergy to vaccinations in the family”, “BCG is a live vaccine, and there is no guarantee that the child is completely healthy”, “The vaccine against hepatitis B is genetically modified”, etc.
• Detain mother in the maternity hospital due to the fact that she refused BCG, have no right under the law . The mother has the right to pick up the child under a signature (that she is responsible for his life) at any time. In case of problems, refer to Article 33, which guarantees you your rights. Against the mother's will, vaccinations and others medical services are carried out only by court decision (and then only in the presence of dangerous diseases).
• Requirement in the maternity hospital certificates that there are no tuberculosis patients at home, also illegal .
• For paid births, include them in the contract with the maternity hospital in advance. clause on non-vaccination of children .

If you are not against vaccinations, but have doubts, ask your doctors written confirmation of vaccine quality, preliminary (before vaccination) examination of the child and the absence of contraindications for vaccination, as well as financial liability doctors in case of complications after vaccination. Alas, the need for this paper is confirmed by repeated cases of negligence of medical staff, as a result of (unpunished!) actions of which children became disabled. Therefore, it doesn’t hurt to be on the safe side.

The child was vaccinated without the mother's consent. What to do?

• Do not allow repeated vaccination (it is usually carried out three times).
• Don't listen to intimidation about dire consequences when the chain of vaccinations is interrupted (this is a myth).
• Write a complaint to the prosecutor's office, list the articles of Russian legislation violated by the medical staff and send by registered mail.

Whatever decision parents make, they must think about the health of their child and guard his interests. It is worth remembering that the health of the child is only in the hands of the parents.

Do you agree to have your child vaccinated in the maternity hospital? Women's comments

“It’s just that some kind of fashion has gone towards refusing vaccinations.” There are a lot of articles and programs too. I specifically studied all the available information on the topic of vaccinations and came to the conclusion that vaccinations are still needed. The main thing here is to be attentive. Check all the certificates, examine the child, etc. I think it’s too early to do this in the maternity hospital. It’s better later, when it will be possible to understand that he is definitely healthy.

— Everyone began to refuse vaccinations en masse! As a result, everything returns to normal - the same sores that were in the past. Personally, I do not want my child to get mumps, hepatitis or tuberculosis. We do all vaccinations according to the calendar, we are examined in advance, and we take all tests. And only if we are completely healthy, then we agree. There were never any complications!

- Healthy - not healthy... How can you know that a child is healthy? What if it turns out that he had an individual intolerance? Recently, a friend called - a first-grader at her child’s school died from a vaccination. From regular vaccination. This is the reaction. And all because you can’t guess. Like Russian roulette.

— The first son was vaccinated according to all the rules. In the end we are all with him early childhood spent in hospitals. I didn’t vaccinate the second one at all! The hero is growing, even colds fly past him. So draw your conclusions.

— We do all vaccinations. There are no complications. The child reacts normally. I think vaccination is needed. And, no matter what you say, they won’t admit you to school without vaccinations. And everyone I know also gets vaccinated - and it’s normal, they don’t complain. Millions of children are vaccinated! And only a few have complications. So what are we talking about, people?

— In Russia, thanks to the light hand of the Ministry of Health and various chief orderlies, the immune experience accumulated by many generations of people was destroyed. As a result, we have become a vaccine-dependent country. And considering that the vaccine, for example, against hepatitis B, is genetically modified, there is nothing to talk about. Has anyone read about the composition of this vaccine? Read and think about it.

Graft BCG for a newborn one of the earliest. It is included in the vaccination calendar. BCG is performed in the maternity hospital from three days to a week of age of the child, before discharge. Today, the expectant mother independently decides whether her child should be vaccinated. Consent or refusal to undergo vaccination is formalized in writing during the pregnancy observation period at the antenatal clinic. You need to calmly think it over, weigh the pros and cons and decide whether your child will be vaccinated.

It is necessary to understand that BCG vaccination is not a 100% guarantee that a child will never become infected with tuberculosis. This is due to the fact that mycobacteria mutate and become more tolerant to anti-tuberculosis drugs. However, if after the BCG vaccination and discharge from the maternity hospital the baby is infected with mycobacteria, the disease will go away in mild form, will not cause extensive damage, and the likelihood of developing severe extrapulmonary modifications of tuberculosis will also be significantly reduced.

Be sure to read the article about it on our website.

When deciding whether to get vaccinated, you should consider some facts about tuberculosis. Today, this disease is one of the most dangerous and complex diseases in the world. Despite the fact that the infection is well studied, and medicine has effective methods treatment, mortality from tuberculosis is very high and firmly holds first place, ahead of even cardiovascular diseases.

The spread of tuberculosis around the world

The person does not have innate immunity to tuberculosis, and the protective system of a child’s body under two years of age is not yet perfect, so infection in most cases leads to the development of extensive damage to the lungs, as well as penetration of the infection into the brain and the occurrence of meningitis and meningoencephalitis. Most often, these severe pathologies lead to the death of an unvaccinated child. With vaccination, 90% of children recover without negative consequences.

Russia is one of the countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, so BCG vaccination is national calendar one of the first vaccinations. Recent studies have shown that the vaccine lasts for about 20 years. Revaccination does not enhance or prolong the effect of the first vaccination, so it is not necessary to give BCG again at the age of 7 years.

Due to the epidemiological situation in the Russian Federation, as well as proven high efficiency a vaccine that can protect a child from the development of severe complications of tuberculosis, it seems advisable to make BCG.

Contraindications

In some cases, children BCG vaccination they are not carried out in the maternity hospital. The decision is made by the neonatologist depending on the condition of the child.

They do not do BCG in the maternity hospital or in general following cases(main contraindications):

• children of HIV-infected mothers;
• severe genetic diseases;
• birth trauma that caused the development of brain pathology;
• the newborn has relatives diagnosed with tuberculosis;
• availability of data on serious complications after vaccination in the baby’s closest relatives.

Temporary contraindications to vaccination:

• the child was born weighing less than 2.5 kg;
• diagnosing a child severe form erythroblastosis;
• when an intrauterine infectious disease is detected in a baby;
• serious skin pathologies.

Children born with severe body weight deficiency, less than 1.5-2 kg, can be vaccinated with BCG M, which contains a smaller amount active substance. If BCG was not done in the maternity hospital, then a child over two months old is first given blood and urine tests and given a manta test. If the test result is positive or false negative, BCG vaccination is not given, and an examination for possible tuberculosis infection is prescribed.

How to properly vaccinate with BCG

The vaccine is administered in left hand, into the shoulder, exclusively into the skin layer. The drug should not be administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously, as this may lead to the development dangerous complications. If for some reason it is impossible to give an injection in the shoulder, a place on the body with the thickest skin is selected (most often, the thigh). After the injection, a swollen bump remains on the skin for several hours. white.

You may also experience redness in the area where the injection was given within a week. If the wound festers and a slight inflammation occurs, there is no need to panic, such a reaction is absolutely normal.
BCG administration at the same time as other vaccinations is prohibited. Vaccinations against hepatitis B are given earlier than BCG, and after it, other types of vaccines can be prescribed only after a month (sometimes longer, it is important to consult a doctor).

Normal reaction and decoding

Due to the intensive production of antibodies to tuberculosis, the child’s immunity is in an active state. The body strains all its strength to resist infection, so a slight fever after vaccination is normal. It is necessary to take into account when assessing a child’s condition that his thermoregulation mechanisms, unlike those of an adult, are still imperfect. A newborn's temperature can normally fluctuate around 37.2 degrees Celsius.

Many mothers are concerned about how the injection site heals after BCG. Within a month or two after vaccination, a delayed reaction to BCG vaccination appears. The following may appear at the injection site:

• bubble;
• compaction;
• purulent formation covered with a crust;
• a small spot of brown, purple and even black.

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin

If there is a crust, it may periodically come off and then grow again. If the wound has become festered and inflamed, under no circumstances should you squeeze out these purulent formations or process antiseptics so as not to interfere with the process of developing the baby’s immunity. Sometimes they break through on their own, this is also normal. The injection area does not need to be subjected to strong mechanical impact, rub while bathing.

The reaction to BCG is individual for each child; some atypical features may be observed, which are a variant of the norm. The injection site may be red before and after the formation of an abscess. Normally, redness does not spread to surrounding areas. skin. Suppuration and abscess, if they do not swell or turn red, also normal phenomenon. If swelling and redness of the abscess appear, this may indicate an infection in the wound and requires contacting a pediatrician. If the swelling in the injection area goes away on the third day after vaccination, then everything is fine.

The BCG injection area finally heals in about six months. A small white scar forms at the injection site. The absence of a scar indicates that the vaccination is ineffective or that your child has innate immunity from tuberculosis. Only 0.2% of people have this immunity. Looking at left shoulder you can immediately find out whether a person was vaccinated against tuberculosis in childhood, without the need to look at the vaccination card.

Possible complications

Very rarely, but still sometimes newborns are susceptible to developing serious complications after BCG vaccination. It is precisely these complications that will be a contraindication to vaccination for the younger brothers and sisters of a newborn, if he develops them. A newborn may develop lymphadenitis, indicating that the body cannot cope with a bacterial attack. The formation of an external infiltrate, as well as extensive ulceration at the injection site, is possible.

If the vaccination is carried out in violation of the technology, that is, the drug is injected not into the layers of the skin, but deeper, the child may develop severe suppuration, an abscess, which often requires surgical intervention. Sometimes a red colloidal scar forms in the injection area. Possible complications also include: the development of bone and other forms of tuberculosis. In some cases, the child develops severe skin allergic reaction, red rash around the injection site and on other parts of the body.

BCG is a vaccine against a fatal form of tuberculosis. The abbreviation BCG is of French origin and stands for Bacillus Calmette-Guerin.

BCG in a child's vaccination schedule

In Russia, BCG is included in the calendar of preventive vaccinations and is widely used in a number of European countries, India and Brazil. A vaccine is a combination of a number of live and inactive bacteria that cause a protective response in the body and further form immunity against the disease.

Today, the question of the advisability of vaccination for newborns is increasingly being raised. BCG was originally created to completely protect against tuberculosis infection. But as cases of infection were subsequently identified in people who received the vaccine in infancy, the opinion about it was adjusted.

Results of studies on the dependence of the development of tuberculosis on vaccination in different countries differ significantly. For example, in India, most of the cases are among those who were previously vaccinated. In the United States, it was concluded that the vaccine was 14% effective.

Russian doctors are of the opinion that immunization cannot guarantee full protection from tuberculosis, but aims to prevent its development in severe form in 85% of cases.

1. The child lives in a region where tuberculosis is widespread.
2. The baby has a high risk of infection from the environment, while living in a region with a low prevalence of this disease.

The BCG vaccination is one of the first given to a newborn. In the absence of contraindications, vaccination is carried out on days 3-7 of the baby’s life, a few days after vaccination against hepatitis B. In the maternity hospital, BCG is administered intradermally to the child into the outer surface of the left forearm.

It is prohibited to inject intramuscularly or subcutaneously. If there are contraindications for an injection into the shoulder, the thigh is chosen for this as the place with the thickest skin.

BCG is recommended to be done already in the maternity hospital, because the risk of encountering a tuberculosis infection arises immediately after discharge. According to statistics, 2/3 of the Russian population are carriers of mycobacteria of this disease, without experiencing any symptoms.

Tuberculosis develops in only 5-10% of those infected, but when sneezing and coughing, the bacteria enter the environment. This poses a threat to the newborn, who still has an imperfect immune system.

How before the child If you are vaccinated, the faster an immune response will form. And in order for the newborn’s body to successfully cope with local tuberculosis, others preventive vaccinations should be done only after a month.

Normal reaction and possible complications

BCG vaccination is successful in newborns in more than 99.8% of cases. Wherein Negative consequences 90% are caused by congenital immunodeficiency in children. A delayed reaction to BCG is considered normal, which begins after 1-1.5 months, lasts for 4.5 months and consists of the following:

Vaccination against tuberculosis is tolerated individually by each newborn, and the reaction may have features that you should be aware of:

1. Normally, redness can be observed at the injection site before and after suppuration before scar formation. It should not extend beyond the surrounding tissue and extend to the shoulder.
2. An abscess and suppuration are normal if there is no swelling or redness. Otherwise, the wound is infected and requires consultation with a specialist. If suppuration occurs several times, the child must be examined.
3. The BCG vaccination site may be swollen for 2-3 days immediately after the injection. In the future, the reaction should not be accompanied by swelling.
4. It often happens that the injection site itches, and such sensations are normal. But you should not scratch the vaccine; it is better to cover it with a gauze napkin or put the scratches on the newborn’s hands.
5. During the development of an abscess, the baby’s temperature can rise to 37.5°C - in this case there is no need to worry.

Sometimes a scar does not appear at the vaccination site after 4.5 months. This happens in two cases:

• the vaccination had no effect;
• the child has innate immunity against tuberculosis.

In rare cases, BCG vaccination leads to complications associated with severe deterioration in the health of the newborn. It could be:

1. Cold abscess - large cluster pus in a small area. It is caused by an injection given not subcutaneously, but not inside the epidermis. Requires the intervention of a surgeon.
2. When a child is allergic or particularly sensitive to the components of the drug, an ulcer larger than 10 cm in size may occur at the injection site. In this case, treatment is carried out with special ointments.
3. Inflammation of the lymph node is associated with the widespread spread of bacteria when the child’s immunity does not cope with the vaccine properly.
4. A keloid scar is severe redness and swelling of the skin at the injection site. In case of such a complication, subsequent vaccination is prohibited.
5. Generalized BCG infection – a rare case severe complication associated with the immunodeficiency virus in a newborn.
6. Bone tuberculosis - osteitis, develops in 1 case out of 200,000 vaccinations, occurs due to disorders of the immune system.

In order to avoid complications, each newborn is observed by a neonatologist.

Contraindications and features of vaccination

In Russia, newborns have the following:

BCG should not be given to premature babies weighing less than 2 kg. For such kids maternity hospital provides the BCG-M vaccine, which contains half as much dangerous bacteria.

If the vaccination was not done on time, it can be done later.

There are three reasons why BCG vaccination is delayed and can be carried out for the first time at 2, 3, 4 months, after a year and even later:

1. The child's mother refused to vaccinate her child, and then changed her mind.
2. Presence of temporary contraindications.
3. Lack of vaccine in the maternity hospital.

If the child’s weight after discharge is more than 2300 g, and there are no contraindications, then BCG vaccination can be done at vaccination room clinic to which the newborn is assigned. It is advisable that the clinic has a specialist in the administration of this vaccine, in order to avoid the risk of developing a cold abscess due to medical error. It is not permissible to vaccinate in the room where blood tests are taken. If the risk of complications is still present, but doctors recommend vaccinating the newborn, the vaccine is administered in the hospital.

IN outpatient setting For children who did not receive the primary vaccine in the maternity hospital, they are vaccinated with BCG-M. This reduces the risk of complications, but this vaccination forms immunity against tuberculosis only for 7 years, while the BCG vaccine lasts for 15-20 years.

If the vaccination is given before 2 months, it is generally accepted that the child is not infected with tuberculosis. At the age of over 2 months, a Mantoux test must be done before vaccination to confirm the absence of the disease.

At 3 months the child should receive the first DTP vaccine, and at 4 months - the second. If the BCG vaccination has not been done by this time, then you should not combine vaccinations under any circumstances; such a load on the immune system will be unbearable. It is not recommended that vaccination occur during the hot summer, as the likelihood of complications increases significantly.

If primary vaccination BCG is done every year, then the child will first have to undergo a medical examination. Primary BCG vaccination after a year allows you to carefully prepare for the manipulation by first doing allergy tests for the components of the vaccine, then the child’s body will respond adequately to the BCG vaccination.

However, it should be remembered that late administration of BCG creates a risk of complications in case of tuberculosis infection.

Is it necessary to get a BCG vaccination in the maternity hospital? Nowadays, this question worries many parents, because until recently no one doubted the need for vaccination, but now you can often hear a wide variety of opinions on this issue. But before making a decision about the advisability of vaccination or refusing it, you need to find out about possible complications And side effects after the injection, and also find out how high the likelihood of infection is and whether subsequent treatment will be successful.

BCG is one of the first vaccinations that a baby receives and this mainly happens in the maternity hospital. This bacillus Calmette-Guerin, also called BCG, is used to prevent the disease, as well as prevent the development of severe forms of tuberculosis. Since the epidemiological situation regarding tuberculosis in Russia is quite difficult, children of any age need compulsory vaccination BCG.

It is worth knowing that tuberculosis is social disease, since pathogens can be found in almost any environment.

And since Koch’s bacillus is very tenacious, the risk of infection with this disease is very high. This is why BCG vaccination is recommended for all newborns. Whether or not to get this vaccination in the maternity hospital is a decision that parents must make. But they also should not forget that more than a third of the entire population of the planet are carriers of bacilli - the causative agents of the disease, but tuberculosis, at the same time, develops only in 5-10% of infected people.

Transition from the asymptomatic stage of infection to active form illness can occur as a result of unfavorable factors, which include:

• difficult living conditions;
• poor quality nutrition;
• smoking and alcohol;
• weakened immunity;
• unfavorable sanitary and hygienic conditions, etc.

It must be remembered that BCG cannot protect people from infection, since modern conditions this may be impossible. But due to the fact that the baby develops immunity to the disease, vaccination can greatly weaken the course of the disease in children under 2 years of age when they become infected. Also, thanks to BCG, the development of disseminated forms of tuberculosis and meningitis, which often result in the death of the patient, is excluded. Even based on these properties of the vaccine, there is hardly any need to worry about whether it is possible to get a BCG vaccination.

Who should get BCG vaccination?

Vaccination of children against tuberculosis has been used since 1921 and in areas where the situation with this disease is unfavorable, this is a mandatory component preventive work. And if in countries with a good situation with tuberculosis, not all newborns are vaccinated, but only those who belong to the risk group, then in Russia it is recommended that everyone receive BCG on the 3-4th day after birth, excluding the presence of contraindications.

The risk group includes the following groups persons:

• children under 1 year of age who live in areas where there is high level spread of this infection;
• children of any age who are at high risk of infection despite living in areas with low level incidence of tuberculosis;
• people who come into frequent contact with patients infected with multi-resistant medicines, a form of the disease.

The BCG vaccine has now been well studied, and we can safely say that it is easily tolerated by all children, so you should not worry about whether to give BCG to your child, because this should be done as soon as possible after birth. BCG is designed to protect the baby from severe stages diseases that almost always end in the death of the patient. Also, with the help of this vaccination it is possible to prevent the transition of asymptomatic carriage to acute stage diseases.

And you shouldn’t think that a newly born baby won’t be able to meet Koch’s wand, so he won’t get sick.

After all, the majority of adults in our country are carriers of the pathogen, but they do not get sick. Why this happens is still not completely known, although the interaction between people and mycobacteria has been studied for quite a long time.

Infected carriers of the disease release tuberculosis bacilli into the surrounding area when coughing and sneezing. Since small children need to walk a lot outside, there is a a large number of different people, so the possibility of infection increases many times. This is why by the age of 7 in Russia, approximately 2/3 of children are infected with mycobacteria, and if they are not vaccinated with BCG, there is a risk of developing health-threatening conditions, often leading to death.

BCG setting

For vaccinating newborns against tuberculosis, there are 2 types of drugs - BCG and BCG-M. The second drug is a more gentle vaccine, since it contains half of the microorganisms included in BCG. The gentle vaccine is used for weak children who have little weight and for health reasons they are prohibited from administering the dose intended for ordinary children.

If there are no contraindications to BCG, the vaccine is given in the maternity hospital on day 3-4. If this has not been done, then the vaccine is given after the baby’s health improves.

BCG must be administered only intradermally, most often this is done in the left shoulder and after about 6 weeks a reaction to the vaccine occurs, which is classified as delayed. The injection first looks like a small ball, which goes away after 20 minutes. When a reaction occurs, a small abscess appears at the injection site, which after some time becomes covered with a crust. Then it falls off, and the scar, which appearance resembles a speck, heals. This scar is a sign of BCG placement, and if the child does not have a medical card or vaccination calendar, then the presence or absence of a scar can be used to determine whether the child requires vaccination.

In addition to the vaccination carried out in the maternity hospital, it is necessary to perform a BCG revaccination, which is done at 7 and 14 years of age.

They are carried out only if the child shows a negative Mantoux test, since this must be done due to the widespread prevalence of the disease.

At the same time, parents need to remember that it is forbidden to give other types of vaccinations along with a BCG injection, since the reaction to this vaccine is formed by the body only 1.5 months after the injection. More than 2 months should pass from BCG to the next such vaccination. Therefore in BCG maternity hospital They are given only after an injection for hepatitis B, which instantly gives a reaction and it goes away in 3-5 days. And just before discharge, the baby is given BCG, after which he experiences immunological peace, which lasts up to 3 months, during which the child is not given any vaccinations. By 3 months, the baby will have fully developed immunity to tuberculosis, and will also undergo all vaccination reactions.

When is BCG necessary?

If BCG was not performed on the newborn in the maternity hospital due to contraindications, then this can be done in the children's clinic before the baby reaches the age of 2 months, after the child's health condition has returned to normal. If vaccination is performed after 3 months of age, then you must first do a Mantoux test and, if available, negative test BCG is done in the shortest possible time. But it should be taken into account that this can be done no earlier than 3 days, but no later than 2 weeks after the Mantoux tuberculin test.

In the presence of positive result, which indicates that the baby has already encountered Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the vaccination is not carried out, as it will be useless.

The BCG vaccination site must be protected from mechanical damage so as not to accidentally remove the crust on the abscess.

Do not lubricate this wound with any antiseptics:

• iodine;
• brilliant green;
• alcohol.

This often interferes with the development of the natural formation of immunity, as well as applying a bandage.

The main evidence of developed immunity is a normal reaction to BCG vaccination, in which there is an infiltrate size of less than 10 mm, an abscess at the vaccination site that develops into a scar. If the baby has enlarged lymph nodes, and the size of the infiltrate varies by more than 10 mm or is absent at all, then the child must be shown to a phthisiatrician.

After BCG, immunity to tuberculosis remains for 5 years, after which the child needs revaccination.

Contraindications to BCG vaccination

Before deciding whether your child needs BCG, you need to find out about the contraindications that prohibit this vaccination.

There are several groups of children who are prohibited from being vaccinated because they:

• there is doubtful or positive reaction Mantoux;
• there is a serious hereditary disease;
• lesions of the central nervous system are observed - cerebral palsy;
• sisters or brothers with severe complications of BCG;
• acquired or congenital immunodeficiency;
• congenital enzymopathy - an enzyme does not work well or is missing;
• hemolytic disease;
• infectious inflammation develops;
• low weight in premature babies.

Based on the above, it becomes clear that BCG vaccination is of great importance for the prevention of tuberculosis and a decision about whether it should be done should be done only after carefully weighing all the pros and cons.