ISSN 2736-1594
International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology ISSN 2736-1594, Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-007, February, 2023. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Hepatitis B and C virus co-infection in pregnancy at a Tertiary Hospital, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Kotingo E. L.* and Allagoa D.O.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Accepted 08 October, 2022
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections account for a reasonable proportion of liver diseases worldwide. Co-infection with the two viruses is not uncommon because the two viruses share similar modes of transmission. The primary concern with HBV/HCV co-infection is that it can lead to more severe liver disease and an increased risk for progression to Hepatocellular cancer. The objective is to determine the Hepatitis B and C virus co-infection in pregnancy, their seroprevalence and clinico-epidemiological correlates. This is a descriptive cross sectional study. Two hundred and twenty (220) consecutive healthy pregnant women attending the antenatal booking clinic of the hospital who met the inclusion criteria were recruited into this study after pretest counselling and obtaining consent from them. This was tested for both HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies with commercially available in vitro diagnostic kits (one step test strips). Data was collected via a questionnaire. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) 22 statistical package (SPSS Inc., Illinois, U.S.A). P value less than 0.05 was taken as being significant. The mean age of the pregnant women studied was 28.8 years ± 5.2 while the mean parity was 1.20 ± 1.16. Of the 220 recruited pregnant women, 4.6% (n=10) were seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) while 2.7% (n=6) were seropositive for hepatitis C viral (anti-HCV) antibodies. There was 0% Hepatitis B and C virus co-infection in pregnancy. Multiple sexual partners and Female circumcision were the significant risk factors for HBsAg seropositivity (p<0.05). None of the risk factors were significantly associated with hepatitis C viral antibody seropositivity. Hepatitis B and C virus co-infection rate in pregnancy is infinitesimal in our obstetrics population. Routine screening for Hepatitis B virus infection and advocacy for active and passive immunization to infants of seropositive pregnant women is however recommended.
Keywords: Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis in pregnancy.