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Evaluation of hepatitis B virus transmission and antiviral therapy among hepatitis B surface antigen‐positive pregnant women
Author(s) -
Tekin Koruk Suda,
Batirel Ayse,
Kose Sukran,
Cetin Akhan Sila,
Aygen Bilgehan,
Tulek Necla,
Hatipoglu Çigdem,
Bulut Cemal,
Yıldız Orhan,
Sacligil Cahide,
Sirmatel Fatma,
Altunok Elif
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1447-0756
pISSN - 1341-8076
DOI - 10.1111/jog.12821
Subject(s) - medicine , telbivudine , hepatitis b immune globulin , hepatitis b virus , hbsag , hepatitis b , lamivudine , transmission (telecommunications) , viral load , pregnancy , obstetrics , immunology , virus , biology , electrical engineering , genetics , engineering
Aim The aim of the present study was to assess the potential risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertical transmission among Turkish parturient women and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antiviral agents. Material and Methods Data were collected retrospectively from 114 HBV‐infected pregnant women and their infants in eight health institutions in Turkey. Results The baseline characteristics of the women were: mean age, 28.3 ± 5.2 years; alanine aminotransferase, 57.4 ± 139.0 U/L; aspartate aminotransferase, 56.6 ± 150.0 U/L; and HBV DNA, 8.3 × 10 7 ± 2.6 × 10 8 copies/mL. Family history of HBV infection was detected in 53.5% ( n = 61). In total, 60 (52.6%) pregnant women received tenofovir (60.0%), lamivudine (33.3%) or telbivudine (6.7%) therapy at the median gestational age of 22.2 ± 8.5 (1–36) weeks. All infants were vaccinated and hepatitis B immune globulin was administered, with 81 of them (71.1%) available for follow‐up. After completion of HBV vaccination course, 71 (87.7%) infants had protective anti‐HBs levels, three (3.7%) were hepatitis B surface antigen‐positive, and seven (8.6%) were hepatitis B surface antigen‐negative with nonprotective anti‐HBs levels. Five of the infants had low gestational birthweight but no other birth defects were observed. Conclusion According to our results, viral load may not be the only effecting factor for transmission of HBV to children of infected mothers. Pregnant women with high viral load should be followed‐up closely during pregnancy. They should begin to take tenofovir or telbivudine, which are category B drugs for pregnancy, at the beginning of the third trimester at the latest. We need new treatment strategies; and close follow‐up of mothers and children is another important issue.