[Mother-to-child hepatitis B virus markers transmission at a reference hospital in Cote d'Ivoire]

To determine the seroprevalence of HBsAg in pregnant women and to determine the incidence of mother-to-child transmission.

It was a prospective longitudinal study with a descriptive and analytical aim that took place in the maternity ward and in the pediatric department of the CHU of Cocody for 7 months. All newborns whose mothers were HBsAg carriers were included. The parameters studied in pregnant women were socio-demographic data, medical history, risk factors for HBV transmission, mode of delivery, and viral load. Concerning the newborn, the studied parameters were sex, gestational age, birth weight, HBsAg assay.

231 pregnant women were carriers of HBs Ag antigen, an overall frequency of 5.4%. The incidence of mother-to-child transmission was 23.3%. This transmission was statistically related to the high viral load in the mother (p = 0.014). There was a statistical relationship between HBV infection and the occurrence of fetal hypotrophy (p = 0.008).

Health Education Program Focused on Preventing Vertical Transmission of HBV Must Accompany Expanded Infant Immunization Coverage.