[HBsAg screening during pregnancy in the French province Picardy].
OBJECTIVE
Screening for maternal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is mandatory in France since 1992, however, no evaluation is available. We studied the traceability of HBsAg screening and its prevalence in pregnant women in Picardy for year 2006.


METHODS
Traceability of HBsAg screening was studied in a sample of 1198 hospital case files, which were randomized and stratified for all the 20 clinics of the region (22,114 deliveries), both public and private. HBsAg prevalence was also studied using various registries (PMSI national database of medical acts performed during hospitalization, central pharmacies and obstetric theatres).


RESULTS
The traceability of the screening was lacking in 9.9% (range: 0-34.7%, depending on the maternity clinic). The prevalence of HBsAg during pregnancy was 1.8 per 1000 women (upper limit: 4.3 per 1000) from the case files sample. Registries examination showed large variations of HBsAg's prevalence from 0 to 12.0 per 1000 (mean: 2.9; CI 95%: 7 to 17) among the region.


CONCLUSIONS
HBsAg traceability during pregnancy must be improved. HBsAg prevalence largely varies among maternity clinics and is a significant issue which is underestimated in France.
Braillon
A
A
Réseau hépato Picardie, CHU Nord, Amiens, France. braillon.alain@chu-amiens.fr
Nguyen-Khac
E
E
Merlin
J
J
Dubois
G
G
Gondry
J
J
Capron
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008403:Mass Screening; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines