Prenatal .. Why women should be tested for hepatitis B

If hepatitis B is diagnosed in a pregnant woman, the doctor may take steps to reduce the risk of transmission to the fetus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report, infants who develop hepatitis B during childbirth are more likely to develop chronic liver disease later in life.

The American Preventive Service Recommendations (USPSTF) confirmed that the hepatitis B virus (HBV) should be screened for all pregnant women during their first antenatal visit. "He said.

"Mother-to-child transmission remains an important cause of new hepatitis B infection, prenatal screening is a way to try early intervention in high viral load patients and is likely to reduce the risk of transmission during pregnancy.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver, transmitted by contact with infected blood or body fluids. It includes blood and badl secretions during childbirth.

HBV is transmitted primarily through badual intercourse or intravenous drug use, but it can also be transmitted between mother and infant during pregnancy or childbirth.

Without preventive treatment, the risk of transmission to the infant increases up to 40%. Hepatitis B infection can have permanent health consequences, including "chronic infection, cirrhosis and cancer".