Testing for Hepatitis C in Pregnancy: the Time has Come for Routine Rather than Risk-based

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) impacts over 3 million in the U.S., a leading infectious cause of death.
• Mother-to-child transmission of HCV is increasing due to the opioid crisis affecting women of childbearing age.
• Risk-based screening for HCV has proven ineffective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the rationale for Hepatitis C virus testing during pregnancy.
• To review current knowledge on antiviral treatment for Hepatitis C virus during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• This is a review article.
• The review synthesizes existing literature on HCV prevalence, transmission, and treatment in pregnant populations.

Main Results:

• Universal screening of pregnant women for HCV infection is recommended.
• An increasing number of women of childbearing age are infected with HCV, leading to infant transmission.
• HCV affects over 3 million individuals in the United States.

Conclusions:

• Obstetricians can implement universal HCV testing in pregnant women.
• Universal testing enhances maternal health and identifies infants at risk of Hepatitis C virus infection.