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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Hepatitis B in pregnancy
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1305 York Avenue, 4th floor, New York, NY 10021, USA. mag2046@med.cornell.edu
Abstract:
In countries with a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B, perinatal transmission from mother to infant accounts for the majority of cases of chronic hepatitis B. Passive-active immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccine at birth is 95% efficacious in reducing the risk of HBV transmission but is less effective in HBeAg-positive mothers with very high serum HBV DNA levels. In the last 4 weeks of pregnancy lamivudine may provide additional protection in pregnant women who have high-level viremia. Further studies are needed to evaluate the use of nucleos(t)ide analogues to treat chronic hepatitis B during pregnancy.
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