Hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant women in Baghdad

Abstract

Background: Globally, hepatitis B is one of the 
most common infectious diseases. Estimates 
indicate that at least 2 billion people have been 
infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), with 
more than 378 million people being chronic 
carriers. Those individuals at higher risk for 
acquiring HBV and transmitting disease like 
pregnant women should be screened for  hepatitis 
B surface  
antigen (HBsAg) to prevent 
transmission by vaccination and operation.  
Aim of study: The aim of this study was to 
determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its 
associated parameters in pregnant women who 
referred to antenatal clinic in Baghdad Province. 
Methods: The 234 apparently healthy pregnant 
women and their families, husbands and children 
were selected as study subjects from among those 
who had attained prenatal care clinic in Baghdad 
province between 2010  to 2012. Serological test 
was done for HBV using ELISA test (Dialab 
REF:Z00360,LOT2052-2). 
Results: Of these, 234 cases were brought into the 
study. Their age were ranged from 16-42 years old. 
Based on a different parameters , women positive 
for HBV and their children were negative 
constitute the highest percentage 85.4% and lowest 
one was pregnant women who lived with positive 
family history of HBV were 8.9%.  
Conclusions: The seroprevalence of HBsAg was 
of moderate severity according to WHO. This 
finding would suggest for the introduction of 
routine screening for HBV to all pregnant women 
during the antenatal period, and that “at birth dose” 
vaccination is given to new born babies of mothers 
found to be HBsAg positive so as to reduce and 
prevent the spread of infection. However more data 
is required from larger studies to support the 
findings so that ultimately this can be 
recommended as a policy. Background: Globally, hepatitis B is one of the 
most common infectious diseases. Estimates 
indicate that at least 2 billion people have been 
infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), with 
more than 378 million people being chronic 
carriers. Those individuals at higher risk for 
acquiring HBV and transmitting disease like 
pregnant women should be screened for  hepatitis 
B surface  
antigen (HBsAg) to prevent 
transmission by vaccination and operation.  
Aim of study: The aim of this study was to 
determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its 
associated parameters in pregnant women who 
referred to antenatal clinic in Baghdad Province. 
Methods: The 234 apparently healthy pregnant 
women and their families, husbands and children 
were selected as study subjects from among those 
who had attained prenatal care clinic in Baghdad 
province between 2010  to 2012. Serological test 
was done for HBV using ELISA test (Dialab 
REF:Z00360,LOT2052-2). 
Results: Of these, 234 cases were brought into the 
study. Their age were ranged from 16-42 years old. 
Based on a different parameters , women positive 
for HBV and their children were negative 
constitute the highest percentage 85.4% and lowest 
one was pregnant women who lived with positive 
family history of HBV were 8.9%.  
Conclusions: The seroprevalence of HBsAg was 
of moderate severity according to WHO. This 
finding would suggest for the introduction of 
routine screening for HBV to all pregnant women 
during the antenatal period, and that “at birth dose” 
vaccination is given to new born babies of mothers 
found to be HBsAg positive so as to reduce and 
prevent the spread of infection. However more data 
is required from larger studies to support the 
findings so that ultimately this can be 
recommended as a policy. Background: Globally, hepatitis B is one of the 
most common infectious diseases. Estimates 
indicate that at least 2 billion people have been 
infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), with 
more than 378 million people being chronic 
carriers. Those individuals at higher risk for 
acquiring HBV and transmitting disease like 
pregnant women should be screened for  hepatitis 
B surface  
antigen (HBsAg) to prevent 
transmission by vaccination and operation.  
Aim of study: The aim of this study was to 
determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its 
associated parameters in pregnant women who 
referred to antenatal clinic in Baghdad Province. 
Methods: The 234 apparently healthy pregnant 
women and their families, husbands and children 
were selected as study subjects from among those 
who had attained prenatal care clinic in Baghdad 
province between 2010  to 2012. Serological test 
was done for HBV using ELISA test (Dialab 
REF:Z00360,LOT2052-2). 
Results: Of these, 234 cases were brought into the 
study. Their age were ranged from 16-42 years old. 
Based on a different parameters , women positive 
for HBV and their children were negative 
constitute the highest percentage 85.4% and lowest 
one was pregnant women who lived with positive 
family history of HBV were 8.9%.  
Conclusions: The seroprevalence of HBsAg was 
of moderate severity according to WHO. This 
finding would suggest for the introduction of 
routine screening for HBV to all pregnant women 
during the antenatal period, and that “at birth dose” 
vaccination is given to new born babies of mothers 
found to be HBsAg positive so as to reduce and 
prevent the spread of infection. However more data 
is required from larger studies to support the 
findings so that ultimately this can be 
recommended as a policy. Background: Globally, hepatitis B is one of the 
most common infectious diseases. Estimates 
indicate that at least 2 billion people have been 
infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), with 
more than 378 million people being chronic 
carriers. Those individuals at higher risk for 
acquiring HBV and transmitting disease like 
pregnant women should be screened for  hepatitis 
B surface  
antigen (HBsAg) to prevent 
transmission by vaccination and operation.  
Aim of study: The aim of this study was to 
determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its 
associated parameters in pregnant women who 
referred to antenatal clinic in Baghdad Province. 
Methods: The 234 apparently healthy pregnant 
women and their families, husbands and children 
were selected as study subjects from among those 
who had attained prenatal care clinic in Baghdad 
province between 2010  to 2012. Serological test 
was done for HBV using ELISA test (Dialab 
REF:Z00360,LOT2052-2). 
Results: Of these, 234 cases were brought into the 
study. Their age were ranged from 16-42 years old. 
Based on a different parameters , women positive 
for HBV and their children were negative 
constitute the highest percentage 85.4% and lowest 
one was pregnant women who lived with positive 
family history of HBV were 8.9%.  
Conclusions: The seroprevalence of HBsAg was 
of moderate severity according to WHO. This 
finding would suggest for the introduction of 
routine screening for HBV to all pregnant women 
during the antenatal period, and that “at birth dose” 
vaccination is given to new born babies of mothers 
found to be HBsAg positive so as to reduce and 
prevent the spread of infection. However more data 
is required from larger studies to support the 
findings so that ultimately this can be 
recommended as a policy.