A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY TO FIND OUT THE PROPORTION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC IN TERTIARY HEALTH CARE CENTER IN CENTRAL INDIA

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a life- threatening health problem throughout world, infecting more than two billion people. While blood transfusion and unsafe therapeutic injection continue to be major risk factors, the role of vertical transmission remains under- estimated. Hence, this study was done to nd out the prevalence of HBV infection and associated risk factors among healthy pregnant women in Central India Indore (M.P.). The present study was a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted, in the department of Microbiology of M.G.M. Medical College from June 2021 to June 2022. Methodology: After receiving 5 ml of blood sample in the Microbiology Laboratory, serum was separated by centrifugation. They were then tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by Rapid Test and Enzyme linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Total 610 samples were screened among which 12 (%) were tested positive for HBsAg. Pregnant women found with history of blood transfusion was found to be 5(41.66%), followed by tattooing which was 33.33%, followed by history of multiple sexual partners, HIV positive and family history of HBV infection which was 8.33%,8.33% and 8.33% respectively. Conclusion: Perinatal transmission is the major route of HBV transmission in the absence of prophylaxis, a large proportion of viremic mothers transmits infection to neonates. Immunization is the most effective and only way of preventing development of chronic carrier state. Hence all neonates were administered with hepatitis B vaccine and 0.5 ml of hepatitis B immunoglobulin within 12 hours of birth