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Updated: May 24, 2026
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Prevention of perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission in an obstetric/infant population
P J Parker1, T W Gyorkos, J S Dylewski
1McGill University Faculty of Medicine; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University and Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Montreal General Hospital; Infectious Disease and Microbiology, St Mary's Hospital; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Mary's Hospital; and Research Unit, Jewish General Hospital, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
Study Design:
This retrospective study reviewed the screening practice and seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among all mothers with live births at a teaching hospital in Montreal between November 1, 1990 and April 30, 1991.
Results:
Most women (94%) were screened prenatally and 5.2% postnatally. Screening status could not be determined for 0.8% of women. One-quarter of all postnatal screening results were available only at 48 h or more postdelivery. No infants born to women with postnatal screening or to women with unknown screening status were immunized expectantly. The maternal seroprevalence was 1.08% (95% confidence interval from 0.6, 1.4). All 22 infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers had received hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 h of birth and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 h. Follow-up of infants revealed that only 50% had received the second and third doses according to the recommended protocol, with 83% completing the immunization series.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that a program of prenatal HBsAg screening and neonatal prophylaxis against hepatitis B can be successfully instituted in a high volume obstetric hospital, and that better monitoring of infants is required to ensure completion of vaccination.
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