Case-control study of risk factors associated with hepatitis C virus infection among pregnant women in hospitals of Karachi-Pakistan.
OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among pregnant women seeking antenatal care in tertiary care hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan.


METHODS
We enrolled 119 cases and 238 controls. Cases were enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA III) positive pregnant women for antibodies to HCV; controls were anti-HCV ELISA negative pregnant women.


RESULTS
The mean age of study subjects was 26 years (SD 5) ranging from 15 to 50 years. The mean number of pregnancies for cases was 4 (SD 3) and for controls was 3 (SD 2). Among cases an average number of injections in any month was 40%, history of hospitalization was 61% and household contact with jaundice or hepatitis was 35%. In the final multivariable logistic regression model, five or more gestations (aOR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.08-3.33), > or =1 injection (aOR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.38-3.91) per month, hospitalization (aOR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.01-2.99) and household contact with jaundice/hepatitis (aOR = 3.32; 95% CI = 1.89-5.83) were independently associated with HCV.


CONCLUSIONS
Iatrogenic exposure (health care injections, hospitalizations and gestations) is the major risk factor for transmission of HCV among pregnant women.
Khan
Uzma R
UR
Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. uzma.khan@aku.edu
Janjua
Naveed Z
NZ
Akhtar
Saeed
S
Hatcher
Juanita
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors