FREQUENCY OF ANTI-HCV, HBsAg AND RELATED RISK FACTORS IN PREGNANT WOMEN AT NISHTAR HOSPITAL, MULTAN
Abstract
Background: Viral hepatitis is a global issue. Among the hepatitis viruses hepatitis B and C areimportant in South Asia including Pakistan. There are various modes of transmission of these viruses.Vertical transmission is also gaining importance. Antepartum screening for HBV and HCV would helpthe infected women for appropriate antiviral therapy at appropriate time as well as for taking propercare of the newborns. The present study was designed to see the frequency of HBsAg and anti-HCV inpregnant women at Nishtar Hospital, Multan. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried outusing non-probability purposive sampling technique. The period of the study was from June 2006 toAugust 2007. Five hundred (500) pregnant women attending outpatient department of Gynaecologyand Obstetrics were included. Informed consent was taken. A specially designed proforma was filled in.Anti-HCV and HBsAg were tested by device method. Data were analyzed on SPSS-11. Results: Outof 500 pregnant women 35 (7.00%) were found to be anti-HCV positive and 23 (4.60%) were positivefor HBsAg. Mean age was 26.7±4.8 years. Majority of the patients 263 (52.60%) were in the age group26–35 years. 138 (27.60%) women were nulliparous and 282 (56.40%) were para 1–4 and anti-HCVand HBsAg were common in this parity group. Only 80 (16.00%) women were para 5 or more. Allanti-HCV and HBsAg positive women were house-wives. Most of them were belonging to rural areashaving poor socio-economic status. Among 35 anti-HCV positive women, 20 (57.14%) had history ofprevious surgery, while 13 (37.14%) had history of multiple injections, 5 (14.28%) received bloodtransfusion, 4 (11.42%) had ear/nose piercing while tattooing was seen in only 2 (5.71%). Among 23HBsAg positive women, 10 (43.47%) had history of previous surgery. History of multiple injectionswas present in 6 (26.08%) patients, 4 (17.39%) patients had history of blood transfusion, tattooing,ear/nose piercing, history of dental procedure, history of sharing needles was observed in 1 each.Conclusion: Frequency of anti-HCV is more common than HBsAg in our study population. Previoushistory of surgery, multiple injection therapy and blood transfusion were observed as risk factorsamong anti-HCV and HBsAg positive pregnant women.Keywords: Anti-HCV, HBsAg, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, pregnancyReferences
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