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Maternal hepatitis B screening at a private hospital
A Murnane1, L Evertson, R Helmchen
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2489.
The Journal of Reproductive Medicine
|October 1, 1992
Summary
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) risk factors reliably predict hepatitis B carrier status in pregnant patients. All identified hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive individuals had known risk factors, validating their importance.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses risks during pregnancy.
- Identifying pregnant individuals with HBV is crucial for preventing perinatal transmission.
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) risk factors are established for HBV screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability of CDC risk factors in predicting hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier state among obstetric patients.
- To assess the incidence of HBsAg positivity in a large obstetric population.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study conducted over 12 months at a private hospital in Cincinnati.
- Screening of 5,877 obstetric patients for HBsAg (prenatally or during labor).
- Administration of questionnaires to identify historical risk factors.
Main Results:
- An overall incidence of 0.0925% for HBsAg seropositivity was observed.
- All HBsAg positive patients possessed identifiable risk factors.
- The study confirmed the presence of risk factors in all positive cases.
Conclusions:
- CDC risk factors are reliable predictors of HBsAg carrier state in the obstetric population.
- Risk factor assessment remains a valuable tool for identifying pregnant individuals at risk for Hepatitis B.
- Targeted screening based on risk factors can be effective in obstetric care.