Treatment of hepatitis B during pregnancy

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Nguyen Thi Hong On - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital. The doctor has 10 years of experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology and has worked in all positions in the clinic area, delivery room, emergency room for obstetrics and gynecology, procedure room and treatment area on request.

Hepatitis B is a fairly common infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This is a serious problem for pregnant women because the disease can be passed on and affect the unborn baby.

Hepatitis B is an infectious liver disease caused by the HBV virus. This virus is transmitted from one person to another through the blood and body fluids of an infected person such as: Semen, secretions from the vagina, breast milk, saliva, pus from wounds...
The Researchers have shown that the percentage of babies born with hepatitis B infection from their mothers is only about 40% and not all babies carry the disease for life. But best to ensure the health of the baby, if you plan to become pregnant in the near future, you should take a blood test to screen for this disease. Because if not detected early, treated promptly and properly, pregnant women with hepatitis B can lead to some serious problems. However, if you have hepatitis B during pregnancy but get treatment early, managing complications can become easy.
The human immune system can fight this virus without the use of any additional drugs. However, in some cases, this virus still hides in the body, leading to chronic hepatitis B, causing serious liver damage and not being completely cured.
According to statistics, in our country about 10-13% of pregnant women are infected with hepatitis B virus, this is a very large percentage.

If the mother is infected with hepatitis B in the early stages of pregnancy (ie the first 3 months), there is a low rate of transmission of the virus to the baby (about 1%) and if the mother is infected at 3 months In the middle of pregnancy, the rate of the mother transmitting pathogens to her baby is up to 10%, more seriously if the mother is infected in the last 3 months of pregnancy, the rate of the mother transmitting the pathogen to her baby is up to 10%. 60-70%. Thus, the rate of pregnant mothers infected with hepatitis B virus transmitted to the fetus from the 3rd month onwards is very high.

When a woman is pregnant, the resistance will decrease when infected with hepatitis B virus, which will lead to more severe disease and higher mortality due to acute or fulminant liver failure and if recovered, it is also prone to chronic progression than ordinary people.
Pregnant women with hepatitis B can pass it on to their babies. Therefore, you need to pay attention to take care of yourself, if you see any symptoms of the disease, it is best to go for an early check-up for timely treatment. If the test results show that you are positive for the hepatitis B virus, your doctor will vaccinate your baby soon after birth. If you have high levels of the virus in your blood, your doctor may prescribe medications to control the disease.

Just like normal people, in the early stages, pregnant women with hepatitis B also do not have many obvious symptoms. If so, this symptom is similar to other pregnancy symptoms, so it is difficult to detect. That's why you should get tested early if you suspect you have hepatitis B. Here are some common symptoms such as:
Pain and aches, which are quite similar to cold and flu symptoms. common Loss of appetite and nausea Fatigue Jaundice, yellow eyes, yellow urine Mild fever.

According to the survey, the most common mode of transmission of hepatitis B from mother to child is. Here are the treatment steps to limit this situation:
First, if you see the above symptoms, you should have a blood test to see if you have hepatitis B or not. If the results show that you have hepatitis B, don't worry too much, talk to your doctor specifically to have positive treatment and have an effective plan to prevent infection for your baby. Your doctor may order further tests to check the level of hepatitis B virus in your blood. In the case of high levels, your doctor will treat you with medications to help control the condition. Tenofovir or Viread are two commonly used drugs. If the test results show that you are positive for the hepatitis B virus, the baby must be vaccinated after birth. Your baby will receive two doses: one dose of hepatitis B vaccine (5 mcg) and one dose of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG, 0.5 ml dose). These two injections will be given in different limbs. If given correctly, it can protect your baby against hepatitis B. The injection is usually given in the first 12-24 hours after birth and will be given again at one month, two months and 1 year old. In addition, the child may also need to be vaccinated again when he is 5 years old. If you have hepatitis B during pregnancy, you need to be monitored and checked regularly to detect serious symptoms in time. Through the above information, it can be seen that in mothers who have a history of hepatitis B before deciding to become pregnant, they should go for a checkup and stable treatment for hepatitis B before deciding to become pregnant. Depending on the stage, the doctor will have a treatment plan. This will prevent the risk of infection to the baby. At the same time, eat a nutritious diet, avoid alcoholic beverages or stimulant drinks to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
During pregnancy, if you have unusual symptoms, you should be examined and consulted with a specialist.