title: Hepatitis B in pregnancy.
abstract: In countries with a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B, perinatal transmission from mother to infant accounts for the majority of cases of chronic hepatitis B. Passive-active immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccine at birth is 95% efficacious in reducing the risk of HBV transmission but is less effective in HBeAg-positive mothers with very high serum HBV DNA levels. In the last 4 weeks of pregnancy lamivudine may provide additional protection in pregnant women who have high-level viremia. Further studies are needed to evaluate the use of nucleos(t)ide analogues to treat chronic hepatitis B during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1305 York Avenue, 4th floor, New York, NY 10021, USA. mag2046@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gambarin-Gelwan
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000254:growth & development*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin