Prevalence of hepatitis C infection in pregnant women in South Australia.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositivity and known risk factors for HCV infection in a group of pregnant women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Lyell McEwin Health Service, Elizabeth, South Australia (a general public hospital with an annual average of about 2000 deliveries).


METHODS
1537 consecutive women who delivered at the Lyell McEwin Health Service from February 1995 to December 1995.


METHODS
Presence of HCV antibodies; and associations between HCV-antibody status and known risk factors.


RESULTS
17 women (1.1%) were HCV-seropositive. Risk factors significantly more prevalent among HCV-seropositive patients were: a history of injecting drug use, a past or present sexual partner who had injected drugs, having a tattoo and having been incarcerated. The proportions who had received a blood transfusion, had acquired a sexually transmitted disease or were positive for hepatitis B virus surface antigen were not significantly different between seropositive and seronegative women. Multivariate analysis showed that only injecting drug use remained a strong independent predictor of HCV-seropositivity (odds ratio [OR], 50.1; P < 0.001), while having a tattoo approached significance (OR, 3.5; P = 0.07).


CONCLUSIONS
As only 1.1% of this sample of women were HCV-seropositive, screening of all pregnant women does not seem warranted. Testing on the basis of a history of risk factors, such as injecting drug use and having a tattoo, would detect undiagnosed HCV infections more efficiently.
Garner
J J
JJ
Drug and Alcohol Resource Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, Adelaide.
Gaughwin
M
M
Dodding
J
J
Wilson
K
K
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013021:South Australia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies