title: [Viral hepatitis in pregnancy and materno-fetal transmission of the B virus].
abstract: Acute viral hepatitis is the most common cause of jaundice in pregnant women. In Western Europe and North America acute hepatitis is equally frequent and severe during and outside pregnancy, whereas its frequency and severity are higher during pregnancy in developing countries. The foetal prognosis is dependent upon the severity of the disease in the mother; there is no increase in the incidence of congenital malformations or mongolism. The mode of transmission of hepatitis B virus from mother to foetus is well known. The risk is particularly high in HBe Ag-positive women. In the majority of cases the disease is transmitted during labour or by maternal nursing after birth. Transmission through milk is of minor importance and transmission before birth is rare. It is now possible to prevent maternal foetal transmission by giving infants of HBs Ag-positive mothers an injection of anti-HBs gammaglobulins at birth and by vaccinating them against hepatitis B virus in the same way as adults. Neonates respond well to vaccination. These prophylactic measures offer hopes of eradicating chronic hepatitis, virus-induced cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buffet
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens
vernacular_title: Hépatites virales en cours de grossesse et transmission materno-foetale du virus B.