Vertical transmission of HBsAg in Alexandria

A G Farghaly1, E M Hassan, S Gawish

  • 1High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University.

A total of 735 pregnant women at delivery and their babies were screened for HBsAg to assess the vertical transmission of HB virus infection. The carrier rate among pregnant women was 5%, evidence of intrauterine transmission reached 8.1% and that of perinatal transmission was 33.3% The most important factors affecting the carrier rate in mothers were the social class, parity, injections, dental manipulation and hospitalization. Nevertheless, among the factors increasing the rate of materno-fetal transmission were the presence of "e" Ag, high titer of HBsAg in mothers serum, cord blood antigenaemia, age of the mother, prolonged duration of labour and breast-feeding.

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