Abstract :
Background: Mother to child transmission (MTCT) is the most important mode of acquisition of hepatitis
B. MTCT is dependent on HBeAg status and HBV DNA levels. There is lack of information about HBeAg
status and HBV DNA levels in HBsAg pregnant women in India.
We aimed to determine the frequency of Hepatitis B infection, HBeAg positive status, its association with
HBV viral load and compared the differences in clinical and laboratory characteristics between HBeAg
positive and negative cohort.
Materials and Methods: We extracted demographic, laboratory and virological characteristics from
case records of pregnant women with HBV seen by department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and
Gastroenterology between January 2011 and December 2018. Patients were stratified into HBeAg positive
and negative groups. Descriptive statistics were carried out.
Results: The prevalence of HBsAg positive pregnancy was 0.63% (130/20624 deliveries). Of the 89
patients in whom e antigen results were available, 14 (15.7%) were HBeAg positive and 73 (82%) were
HBeAg negative. HBeAg positive women were younger (24y vs 27y), had higher AST (36 vs 18), ALT
(56 vs 23) and HBV DNA level (1.3x108 vs 54 IU/ml) levels compared to HBeAg negative women. 12/14
HBeAg positive women received antivirals to prevent MTCT.
Conclusion: Hepatitis B prevalence in our cohort is 0.63%. HBeAg positive status was seen in 15.7% of
pregnant women and was associated with high viral load of >106/copies/ml. 82% were HBeAg negative
and associated with low viral load. HBeAg can be used as a surrogate marker for viral load and has
immunoprophylaxis and treatment implications.
Keyword :
HbsAg positive pregnancy, HBeAg positivity, HBV viral load, Anti viral therapy, MTCT.