Maternal reasons for non-receipt of valid Hepatitis B birth dose among mother-infant pairs attending routine immunization clinics, South-east, Nigeria.

•Receipt of Hepatitis B birth dose within 24 h (valid birth dose) was abysmally low.•Maternal awareness on timing of valid birth dose quite low.•Integration of child delivery and immunization services very poor.•Mothers recommend maternal education on benefits of valid birth dose.•Mothers request pre-positioning of birth dose vaccine at labor and maternity wards.