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. 2021 Jan-Dec:17:17455065211031718.
doi: 10.1177/17455065211031718.

Awareness and prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria: A national pilot cross-sectional study

George Uchenna Eleje  1   2 , Ayyuba Rabiu  3   4 , Ikechukwu Innocent Mbachu  2   5 , Godwin Otuodichinma Akaba  6   7 , Olabisi Morebise Loto  8   9 , Hadiza Abdullahi Usman  10   11 , Preye Owen Fiebai  12   13 , Rebecca Chinyelu Chukwuanukwu  14 , Ngozi Nneka Joe-Ikechebelu  15   16 , Chike Henry Nwankwo  17 , Stephen Okoroafor Kalu  18 , Chinyere Ukamaka Onubogu  19 , Chukwuanugo Nkemakonam Ogbuagu  20 , Shirley Nneka Chukwurah  21 , Chinwe Elizabeth Uzochukwu  22 , Samuel Oluwagbenga Inuyomi  23 , Bukola Abimbola Adesoji  24 , Uchenna Chukwunonso Ogwaluonye  25 , Ekene Agatha Emeka  26 , Richard Obinwanne Egeonu  2 , Odion Emmanuel Igue  27 , Chiamaka Henrietta Jibuaku  25 , Ogbonna Dennis Okoro  28 , Prince Ogbonnia Aja  14 , Chiamaka Perpetua Chidozie  14 , Hadiza Sani Ibrahim  4 , Fatima Ele Aliyu  4 , Aisha Ismaila Numan  11 , Solace Amechi Omoruyi  13 , Ijeoma Chioma Oppah  13 , Ubong Inyang Anyang  7 , Aishat Ahmed  7 , Osita Samuel Umeononihu  2   5 , Eric Okechukwu Umeh  29 , Sussan Ifeyinwa Nweje  30 , Ifeoma Clara Ajuba  31 , Chukwuemeka Chukwubuikem Okoro  2 , Arinze Anthony Onwuegbuna  32 , Emeka Philip Igbodike  33 , Ifeanyi Kingsley Nwaeju  2 , Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai  3   4 , Oliver Chukwujekwu Ezechi  34 , Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu  1   2
Affiliations

Awareness and prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria: A national pilot cross-sectional study

George Uchenna Eleje et al. Womens Health (Lond). 2021 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Background: There are no national data on hepatitis C virus awareness and burden among pregnant women to justify its routine screening.

Objectives: To investigate awareness, seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria.

Methods: A total of 159 pregnant women from antenatal clinics across six geopolitical zones in Nigeria consented to anti-hepatitis C virus testing which was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction technique. Confirmed hepatitis C virus positive women were further tested for hepatitis B and HIV. Participants were evaluated for risk factors for hepatitis C virus. Odds ratios, adjusted odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined, and p-values of <0.05 were considered significant.

Results: Of 159 participants, 77 (48.4%; 95% confidence interval = 38.2%-60.5%) were aware of hepatitis C virus infection and awareness of hepatitis C virus was associated with young age (odds ratio = 2.21; 95% confidence interval = 1.16-4.21), high educational level (odds ratio = 3.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.63-6.64), and participants' occupation (odds ratio = 0.51; 95% confidence interval = 0.26-0.99). In multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for confounders, the association between awareness of hepatitis C virus and participants' young age (adjusted odds ratio = 1.60; 95% confidence interval = 1.09-2.35; p = 0.018) and high educational level (adjusted odds ratio = 1.48; 95% confidence interval = 1.17-1.86; p = 0.001) remained significant. Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence was found to be 1.3% (95% confidence interval = 0.2%-4.5%). All (100.0%, 95% confidence interval = 12.1%-100.0%) the hepatitis C virus-positive participants and 99 (63.1%, 95% confidence interval = 51.3%-76.8%) hepatitis C virus-negative participants had identifiable hepatitis C virus risk factors. Dual seropositivity of anti-hepatitis C virus/anti-HIV and anti-hepatitis C virus/hepatitis B surface antigen each accounted for 0.6%. The most identified risk factors were multiple sexual partners (15.7%), shared needles (13.8%), and blood transfusion (11.3%). There was no significant association between the risk factors and hepatitis C virus positive status.

Conclusion: Awareness of hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria is low and those aware are positively influenced by young age and high educational level. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection is high and provides preliminary evidence to justify antenatal routine screening.

Keywords: awareness; hepatitis C virus; pregnancy; prevalence; risk factor; screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of the study participants.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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