title: [Hepatitis C and pregnancy: an analysis of factors associated with vertical transmission].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data concerning hepatitis C virus infection during pregnancy in Brazilian medical services are scarce. This study aimed to verify factors associated with vertical transmission (VT) of HCV in pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational transversal study of pregnant women from Campo Grande, MS, central Brazil, with confirmed reagent serology for HCV infection from 2002 to 2005. Vertical transmission was considered to be positive HCV serology by ELISA, confirmed by PCR, after 18 months of life of the newborn. The factors studied associated with VT were: delivery mode, time of premature rupture of membranes, breastfeeding, blood transfusion history, drug addiction, number of sexual partners and the presence of body tattoos.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-eight pregnant women with HCV infection were identified, indicating a prevalence rate of 0.2% (58/31,187). Of these 58 pregnant women,23 (39.6%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The VT rate was 13% (3/23), and the most frequent HCV viral subtypes were 1a (53%), 1b (30%), 2b (4%) e 3a (13.0%). Two (8.7%) patients were coinfected with HIV. A significant association (p < 0.05) was observed between VT and high maternal serum viremia (> 2.5 x 10(6)) and VT and the use of illicit drugs by the mother.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that high serum maternal viremia for HCV and the use of illicit drugs by the mother are associated with vertical transmission of HCV.
authors.affiliation: Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e da Região do Pantanal, Campo Grande, MS.
authors.forename: Renata Vidal Cardoso
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Gardenal
authors.forename: Ernesto Antonio
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Figueiró-Filho
authors.forename: Juliana Libman
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Luft
authors.forename: Gregori Lucas Steimback Alves de
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Fábio Galvão
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Plínio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turine Neto
authors.forename: Renê Augusto Almeida de
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors