RISK FACTORS;

COMPARISON IN HEPATITIS B AND C CARRIER PREGNANT WOMEN & HEALTHY PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

O b j e c t i v e : To determine the risk factors associated with hepatitis B and C carriers versus healthy pregnant women. Material
a n d M e t h o d s : It was a single center based, cross sectional comparative study, conducted at Gynae ward II, B-V hospital Bahawalpur. Duration
of study was from March to August 2008.100 patients were enrolled in the two groups, 50 HbsAg/Anti HCV positive women (cases) to compare
with 50 healthy women (controls) match for parity. The data were recorded on a proforma. R e s u l t s : 100 pregnant women were enrolled. Sixty
eight (68.0%) were aged 25 years or less with a mean age ± S.D of 24.62 ± 3.40. Ten (20%) women had HBV and 40(80%) were HCV positive.
The risk factors were compared between the two groups by uni-variate and multivariate analysis which showed that history of dental treatment,
blood transfusion, surgery, parenteral treatment and jaundice were significant risk factors for hepatitis B and C carrier status. C o n c l u s i o n :
There appears to be a strong co-relation of history of blood transfusion and dental treatment with HbsAg/ Anti HCV carrier state in pregnant
women. The anti HCV seropositivity was appreciably high (80%) as compared to HbsAg (20%) in carrier pregnant women.