[Hepatitis B and pregnancy]

Abstract

Background: Chronic Hepatitis B infection can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In women, these viral infections can be responsible for transmission to the husband and to the child during delivery.

Aim: The purpose of this review is to analyze from the literature the mechanism of mother-to-child transmission and the consequences.

Methods: We conducted a review of the literature through the interrogation of the MEDLINE database using a query documentary by combining the Boolean (AND) keywords (MeSH) as follows: <<hepatitis B>>; <<Vertical transmission>>; <<Pregnancy>>; <<Delivery>>.

Results: Hepatitis B virus transmission by sexual contact in low prevalence areas and infection occurs during either the perinatal period or early in childhood in moderate or high prevalence areas. In Tunisia, the prevalence of Antigen HBS (HBs Ag) with pregnant women is 3 to 4%. The risk of maternal-infant contamination is high, from 20 to 90 per cent according to the viral load in the mother. Mother-to-child transmission can be avoided by serovaccination of the newborn.The women with very high viral loads may receive lamivudine treatment at the end of pregnancy to diminish viral load and thus the risk of chronic carriage in the child; however the role of this drug in this situation is not yet clearly defined.