Pregnancy complications associated with hepatitis C: data from a 2003-2005 Washington state birth cohort.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to determine the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on selected maternal and infant birth outcomes.


METHODS
This population-based cohort study using Washington state birth records from 2003 to 2005 compared a cohort of pregnant women identified as HCV positive from birth certificate data (n = 506) to randomly selected HCV-negative mothers (n = 2022) and drug-using HCV-negative mothers (n = 1439).


RESULTS
Infants of HCV-positive mothers were more likely to be low birthweight (odds ratio [OR], 2.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24, 3.80), to be small for gestational age (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.00, 2.13), to need assisted ventilation (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.46, 3.85), and to require neonatal intensive car unit (NICU) admission (OR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.86, 4.55). HCV-positive mothers with excess weight gain also had a greater risk of gestational diabetes (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.04, 6.03). Compared with the drug-using cohort, NICU admission and the need for assisted ventilation remained associated with HCV.


CONCLUSIONS
HCV-positive pregnant women appear to be at risk for adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes.
Pergam
Steven A
SA
Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA. spergam@fhcrc.org
Wang
Chia C
CC
Gardella
Carolyn M
CM
Sandison
Taylor G
TG
Phipps
Warren T
WT
Hawes
Stephen E
SE
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D014481:United States