World Hepatitis Day: How Viral Hepatitis Affects Pregnant Women - Expert Shares 10 Points

Viral hepatitis is one of the most common and potentially serious infections that can occur in pregnant women. On World Hepatitis Day 2023, here's looking at 10 key facts about hepatitis and pregnancy.

Viral hepatitis in pregnancy can affect liver of mother and baby (Pic: Pixabay; representational purposes)

July 28 is observed as World Hepatitis Day globally every year and the aim is to create awareness in people about the adverse effects of hepatitis that can cause liver inflammation, liver cancer, and other major liver-related disorders. While hepatitis presents several health challenges, in pregnant women these problems can become more severe.  D. Astha Dayal, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram, lists out ten ways in which viral hepatitis can affect pregnant women.

World Hepatitis Day: 10 Ways In Which Hepatitis Can Affect Expecting Mothers

D. Astha Dayal mentions the following 10 points about hepatitis and how it can affect women who are pregnant:

1. One of the most prevalent and possibly dangerous illnesses that can affect pregnant women is viral hepatitis. It is caused by various viruses, including hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV).

2). Acute viral hepatitis, or jaundice, is frequently brought on by HAV infection, however, it is rarely seen in expectant mothers. The transmission of HAV from the mother to the fetus is uncommon, but it could lead to complications like meconium peritonitis and preterm labor, especially if HAV infection occurs in the second or third trimester.

3) Infection with HAV is widespread in underdeveloped nations with subpar sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. It can be prevented by vaccination. The vaccine can also be taken during pregnancy.

4) HBV transmission happens mainly through blood exposure, sexual contact, or spreads vertically from mother to child during/after delivery. This is a chronic infection that can cause liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Most people carrying HBV infection may not have any symptoms, so we routinely check all pregnant women for HBV infection, and if found positive, they are treated with antiviral medication. Also, the newborn is given hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) with HBV vaccination at birth, to reduce the risk of transmission from the mother.

5) The primary mode of transmission of HCV is through exposure to infected blood, e.g. sharing of infected needles by intravenous drug users, sexual transmission between men, or vertical transmission from mother to infant. In the chronic state, there are no symptoms, so we routinely check all pregnant women for HCV infection. In the acute stage, there may be jaundice, nausea, abdominal pain, and flu‐like symptoms.

6) Hepatitis C virus mother‐to‐child transmission happens in 5% to 15%, with 3% to 5% progressing to chronic infection. The existence of concurrent risk factors, such as inadequate self-care and drug or alcohol use, such as maternal HCV infection, is the main factor that contributes to poor pregnancy outcomes. If a mother is infected with HCV there could be poor outcomes in infants, including low birth weight and preterm birth.

7) HCV treatment is either started before pregnancy or postponed till after.

8) The most frequent cause of acute viral hepatitis, particularly in young people, is the hepatitis E virus. It is usually a mild infection, but in pregnancy, it could get very dangerous. In endemic areas like India, it can cause acute fulminant liver failure (FHF) and death in 20–40% of pregnant women with a high chance of stillbirth and spontaneous abortion.

9). Although there is presently no HEV vaccine that is FDA-approved, a vaccine was authorized for use in China in 2012.

10) During viral hepatitis in pregnancy, there might be considerable effects on the liver of both the mothers and the infants. The riskiest viral hepatitis infections for pregnant women and newborns are hepatitis A and hepatitis E. They could also affect how pregnancies turn out and how newborns develop. However, with HBV and HCV, the major consequences are connected to the underlying liver conditions in pregnant women and the possibility of viral transmission to newborns.

(Disclaimer: Views expressed by the expert in the article are their own, Zee News does not confirm the same. Always consult your doctor before starting any treatment.)