Investigation of intrauterine transmission of Hepatitis B Virus to children from HBsAg-positive pregnant women

Objectives: Hepatitis B virus is reported to cause fetal and neonatal hepatitis, with a high rate of vertical transmission. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of vertical transmission during the intrauterine period by determining HBsAg positivity in the cord blood of newborns whose mothers were hepatitis B carriers.Materials and methods: Pregnant women, who were admitted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit for delivery, were included. HBsAg, hepatitis B virus antigen (HBeAg), and antibody against hepatitis B virus antigen (anti-HBe) tests were performed from the pregnant women before delivery. Cord bloods of newborns whose mothers were HBsAg-positive were tested for HBsAg immediately after delivery. HBsAg, HBeAg and anti-HBe tests were conducted.Results: Of the 1,570 pregnant women included in the study, 45 (2.9%) were positive for HBsAg. HBeAg was also found to be positive in 7 (15.6%) of the pregnant women, who were positive for HBsAg, while 38 (84.4%) of HBsAg-positive women were positive for anti-HBe. None of the newborns whose mother was HBsAg-positive was found to be HBsAg-positive.Conclusion: Vertical intrauterine transmission of hepatitis B virus is rare. Screening of all pregnant women for hepatitis B should be recommended in Turkey since the country is of moderate endemicity for HBV seroprevalence. Newborns of HBV positive pregnant women should be vaccinated and hepatitis B immunoglobulin should be given after birth to prevent transmission of hepatitis B. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2011;1(1):14-16. doi: 10.5799/ahinjs.02.2011.01.0004