Preterm babies are at an increased risk of developing vaccine-preventable diseases but are less likely to receive immunizations on time. Medically stable preterm (PT) and low birth weight (LBW) babies should receive full doses of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, poliovirus, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines at a developmental age consistent with the schedule recommended for full-term infants.

 

Depending on the maternal hepatitis B surface antigen status of infants with birth weights less than 2000 g, the timing of hepatitis B immunoprophylaxis may need to be modified. The influenza vaccine should be given to all Preterm and Low Birth Weight babies at the age of 6 months before the beginning of the influenza season and during the influenza season. Preterm and Low Birth Weight babies can receive all vaccines routinely recommended during infancy. In both full-term and Preterm vaccine recipients, mild vaccine-attributable adverse events are common. Immunogenicity of some childhood vaccines may be reduced in the smallest preterm babies, but antibody levels usually remain protective.