Hepatitis B mother-to-child transmission in the Eastern Region of Ghana: A cross-sectional pilot study

Abstract

Abstract Background Hepatitis B is a major health concern in Ghana, where prevalence of the virus remains high and most chronic patients are infected during childhood or at birth. There are several factors which can influence transmission risk from an infected mother to her infant, such as the presence of viral markers, the viral load and the use of prophylactic interventions. It is therefore important to determine the prevalence and main factors associated with mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in the context of Ghana. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional pilot study, hepatitis B testing was performed on infants born to infected mothers at a single site in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Test results were matched to a questionnaire which consisted of variables related to pregnancy and birth conditions. This was primarily a descriptive study to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B mother-to-child transmission as well as the preventive interventions and diagnostic methods used. The study variables were also analysed independently using Fisher’s exact test, while mother’s age at the time of delivery was assessed using univariate logistic regression. Results A total of 51 cases were included in the study and three (5.9%) of the infants tested positive. No significant association was observed between mother’s age and mother-to-child transmission (OR: 1.077, 95% CI: 0.828 – 1.403, p=0.58). A majority of infants received the standard hepatitis B vaccination schedule (96.1%) while two-thirds received the birth dose. There was no significant association observed between the clinical interventions reported in the study and mother-to-child transmission. Testing for viral markers and the use of antiviral therapy during pregnancy were absent in the population and could not be reliably assessed. Conclusion There was a low prevalence of HBV mother-to-child transmission observed despite a clear absence of viral marker and viral load testing. It is recommended that viral profile analysis is performed for hepatitis B positive pregnancies to identify high risk cases.