Maternal hepatitis B infection and pregnacy outcomes.

Abstract

Background : Hepatitis B is endemic in Southeast Asia with ten to twenty percent of HBsAg positive pregnant women.Despite the prevalence,there are little data on the effect of maternal chronic HBV infection on pregnancy outcomes.

Objective : To determine the relationship between maternal hepatitis B virus infection,as indicated by hepatits B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity and pregnancy out comes.

Patients and Methods : One hundred and fifty-four hepatitis B carriers with singleton pregnancy were retrospectively compared with 170 controls matched for age and parity and year of delivery.

Results : The overall incidence of maternal HBsAg positivity was 1.3% at Sawanpracharak Hospital during January 2005 to December 2007.The data of healthy HBsAg positive pregnant women,20-39 years old,were compared with those of HBsAg negative pregnancy cases.There were no significant differences in pregnancy outcomes (eg.,preterm labor,gestational hypertension,gestational diabetes,post partum hemorrhage) and perinatal outcomes (e.g.,intrauterine growth retardation,birth weight,fetal distress,thick meconium) between those two study groups.

Conclusion : There was no relationship between HBsAg positivity and pregnancy outcomes.Despite the timely administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin to the newborns,the management of maternal HBsAg carriers was similar to that of the other parturients.

Key words : chronic hepatitis B infection,pregnancy outcomes.