Is there a case for hepatitis C infection screening in the antenatal period?
Based on research evidence the UK National Screening Committee recently recommended that routine antenatal screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection should not be introduced into the UK antenatal screening programme. In this paper we review the evidence on which this decision was based, addressing the criteria that need to be considered before the introduction of a new screening programme.
Pembrey
Lucy
L
Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH.
Newell
Marie-Louise
ML
Peckham
Catherine
C
D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology