Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Risk Factors among Pregnant Women in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a public health problem and is highly endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and potential risk factors of hepatitis C virus in pregnant women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving pregnant women who attended at seven antenatal clinics in Pointe Noire, from June to November 2018. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain participants data. Samples were screened for HCV infection by using 4th ELISA methods and data analysis was done by Epi-info version 7.0 statistical software. Results: A total of 150 pregnant women were included, out of which 11 (7.3%) were positive for HCV. The high proportion of HCV was found in age group 25 - 34 years (45.4%), educated (81.1%), professional (36.4%) and 54.6% were in second trimester gestational stage. Moreover, 54.6% of HCV positive patients had scarification and 45.5% had a history of surgery. There was not a statistically significant association between demographics characteristics, risks factors and HCV seropositivity (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of HCV infection and confirmed that this infection is a public health problem in pregnant women in Pointe Noire.