Prevalence of hepatitis B and C in the maternity department of a Greek district hospital

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To define the prevalence of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HBC), and the modifications observed during the last 8 years, amongst parturients who gave birth in our department. DESIGN: This was a retrospective study. PATIENTS: The 5497 parturients who gave birth in our department between October 1994 and September 2002. RESULTS: On average, 3.87% (213) of the pregnant women tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen; 2.90% amongst pregnant Greek women and 4.67% amongst pregnant immigrant women. Among all pregnant women, 0.80% (44) tested positive for antibodies against HCV; 0.16% amongst Greek women and 1.33% amongst immigrant women. CONCLUSIONS: HBV prevalence in pregnant women did not seem to be affected by the increase of immigrants in our obstetric population over the course of time. HCV prevalence in the pregnant women, however, did seem to follow the increase of immigrants in our obstetric population. Economic and security issues unfortunately deprive some neonates, born to mothers with HBV infection, from the use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin.