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Observational Study
. 2025 Apr 1;145(4):449-452.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005872. Epub 2025 Feb 27.

Prediction of Hepatitis C Virus Perinatal Transmission in Pregnant Individuals With Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Grecio J Sandoval  1 , George R Saade, Brenna L Hughes, Rebecca G Clifton, Uma M Reddy, Anna Bartholomew, Ashley Salazar, Edward K Chien, Alan T N Tita, John M Thorp Jr, Torri D Metz, Ronald J Wapner, Vishakha Sabharwal, Hyagriv N Simhan, Geeta K Swamy, Kent D Heyborne, Baha M Sibai, William A Grobman, Yasser Y El-Sayed, Brian M Casey, Samuel Parry, George A Macones, Mona Prasad; for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network
Affiliations
Observational Study

Prediction of Hepatitis C Virus Perinatal Transmission in Pregnant Individuals With Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Grecio J Sandoval et al. Obstet Gynecol. .

Abstract

Our objective was to develop a prediction model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection perinatal transmission to improve triage for neonatal follow-up. This was a secondary analysis of HCV antibody-positive participants who were enrolled in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network multicenter observational study of HCV infection in pregnancy. Among 432 participants, the perinatal transmission rate was 6.0% (95% CI, 4.0-8.7%). The prediction model was developed and included two factors: maternal HCV RNA titer greater than 10 6 international units/mL and having had any antepartum bleeding. Using this model, the area under the curve for perinatal transmission was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.67-0.86). Probabilities of perinatal transmission of HCV infection ranged from 1.5% (a pregnant individual with HCV RNA 10 6 international units/mL or less and no antepartum bleeding) to 28.5% (a pregnant individual with an HCV RNA titer greater than 10 6 international units/mL and antepartum bleeding). Our results provide data to aid in clinical counseling of pregnant individuals with positive HCV antibodies. Additional research is needed to externally validate this prediction model.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial Disclosure Brenna L. Hughes reports receiving payments from Moderna and UpToDate. Edward K. Chien reports receiving payment from Novo Nordisk. Geeta K. Swamy reports receiving payments from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Moderna, UpToDate, Sanofi, Dynavax, and Medscape. Mona Prasad reports receiving payment from Gilead Pharmaceuticals for serving on their medical advisory board. Torri D. Metz received royalties from UpToDate for two topics on trial of labor after cesarean. Her institution received funding from Pfizer for two studies: one on a phase III respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine trial for which she was the site PI, and the second was a pharmacokinetic study of Paxlovid in pregnancy for mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Dr. Metz also reports being a site PI for Moderna, for a phase III RSV vaccine trial where her institution received money to conduct the study, and she has served on the SMFM Board of Directors. Mona Prasad has served on the medical advisory board for Gilead Pharmaceuticals. The other authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest.

References

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