How does hepatitis B virus affect pregnant women?

Ask:

I have hepatitis B, although the treatment is stable, but I am quite worried because my wife is just over a month pregnant. Doctor, can you tell me how the hepatitis B virus affects pregnant women?

Nguyen Ha ( Hanoi )

Illustration photo.

Associate Professor, Doctor Do Duy Cuong, Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases, Bach Mai Hospital answered:

Pregnant mothers with acute hepatitis B virus infection increase the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and jaundice. Pregnant mothers with chronic hepatitis B infection increase the risk of gestational diabetes and postpartum hemorrhage.

In addition, acute and chronic viral hepatitis in pregnant mothers with positive HBeAg, if not managed and treated promptly, has a 90% risk of transmitting hepatitis B virus to the child.

Pregnant women have increased secretion of adrenal corticoids, which increases the viral load. Pregnant women have increased estrogen hormone, which increases the risk of hepatitis B virus activity and tends to increase in the late stages of pregnancy, causing acute hepatitis, affecting unsafe childbirth and the mother can transmit the disease to the child.

Vietnam is one of the countries with the highest rate of hepatitis B in the world , with an estimated 10 million people suffering from hepatitis B, the main route of transmission being from mother to child during pregnancy. Hepatitis B currently has treatment and vaccine.

Therefore, screening, detecting and managing women with hepatitis B before, during pregnancy, at birth and after birth to ensure that children are not infected with hepatitis B virus is very important and urgent today.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/virus-viem-gan-b-anh-huong-den-thai-phu-ra-sao-192240801231732729.htm