Continues from previous page

Hepatitis B infection and miscarriage

There is no evidence that Hepatitis B leads to miscarriage, preterm labor or even stillbirth. The devastating effects are to the newborn. If miscarriage, preterm labor or stillbirth happens to a Hepatitis B carrier mother, hepatitis is unlikely to be the cause.

Very rarely, if infection is acquired during pregnancy and if symptoms are severe, uterine activity may be provoked.

Protecting the baby of a hepatitis B carrier

Soon after birth, the baby is given an injection of HBIG. This is a protein that confers passive but temporary protection against Hepatitis B. To be effective it should be given within twelve hours of birth. This is combined or followed soon after with vaccination against Hepatitis B (this may be given the same day, but not on the same body site).

The vaccination will be repeated one or two more times in the next few months. Of course, the parents would have been thoroughly counseled about all this in the time leading to delivery, once the Hepatitis B carrier status has been established.

Level of protection for the newborn

Most, but not all newborns will be protected by the measures detailed above. Up to 90% will be protected. It is believed that the small proportion who do not benefit from the vaccination are those who would have acquired the infection from the mother long before delivery and it had plenty of time to establish itself.

Some experts advocate the use of an anti-viral medication Lamivudine for mothers found to have a high viral load during pregnancy. There is credible evidence to suggest that this measure does significantly reduce the risk of perinatal transmission of the infection to the baby.

Vaccinating the mother against Hepatitis B during pregnancy

Vaccinating a mother who is already affected by Hepatitis B has no value at all so it is never done.

Hepatitis A in Pregnancy

Hepatitis A is not transmitted through body fluids but through eating contaminated food. Hepatitis A infection acquired by the mother during pregnancy poses no risks to the baby and cannot be passed on to her or him.

As in all such cases, if symptoms of the infection are severe, they may indirectly lead to uterine activity and threatened preterm labor, but the infection itself poses no direct risk.

Hepatitis A infection is always self-limiting and there is no chronic carrier status.