Hepatitis B during pregnancy can be dangerous, especially for the baby, as there is a high risk of the pregnant woman infecting the baby during birth. However, contamination can be avoided if the woman takes the hepatitis B vaccine before becoming pregnant, or from the second trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, in the first 12 hours after birth, the baby must receive the vaccine and immunoglobulin injections to combat the virus and thus not develop hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B during pregnancy can be diagnosed through an HbsAg and anti-HBc blood test, which are part of mandatory prenatal care. Once it is confirmed that the pregnant woman is infected, she must consult a hepatologist to indicate the appropriate treatment, which can be done with just rest and diet or with medicines suitable for the liver, depending on the severity and stage of the disease.
When to get the hepatitis B vaccine
All women who have not had the hepatitis B vaccine and who are at risk of developing the disease should take the vaccine before becoming pregnant to protect themselves and their baby.
Pregnant women who have never had the vaccine or who have an incomplete schedule can take this vaccine during pregnancy, from 13 weeks of gestation, as it is safe. Find out more about the hepatitis B vaccine.
How to treat hepatitis B during pregnancy
Treatment of acute hepatitis B during pregnancy includes rest, hydration and a low-fat diet, which help the liver recover. To prevent contamination of the baby, the doctor may suggest vaccines and immunoglobulins.
In the case of chronic hepatitis B during pregnancy, even if the pregnant woman does not present any symptoms, the doctor may prescribe the use of a few doses of an antiviral known as Lamivudine to reduce the risk of contamination of the baby.
Along with Lamivudine, the doctor may also prescribe immunoglobulin injections for the pregnant woman to take in the last months of pregnancy, to reduce the viral load in the blood and thus reduce the risk of infecting the baby. However, this decision is made by the hepatologist, who is the specialist who must recommend the best treatment.
Risks of hepatitis B during pregnancy
The risks of hepatitis B during pregnancy can occur for both the pregnant woman and the baby:
1. For pregnant women
When pregnant women do not undergo treatment against hepatitis B and do not follow the hepatologist’s instructions, they can develop serious liver diseases, such as liver cirrhosis or liver cancer, suffering damage that may be irreversible.
2. For the baby
Hepatitis B during pregnancy is generally transmitted to the baby at the time of birth, through contact with the mother’s blood, and in rarer cases, contamination through the placenta is also possible. Therefore, immediately after birth, the baby must receive a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine and an injection of immunoglobulin within 12 hours of birth and two more doses of the vaccine in the 1st and 6th month of life.
Breastfeeding can be done normally, as the hepatitis B virus does not pass through breast milk.
How to ensure that the baby will not be contaminated
To ensure that the baby, born to a mother with acute or chronic hepatitis B, is not infected, it is recommended that the mother follow the treatment proposed by the doctor and that the baby, immediately after birth, receive the hepatitis B vaccine and injections of specific immunoglobulin against hepatitis B.
Around 95% of babies who are treated in this way at birth do not become infected with the hepatitis B virus.
Symptoms of hepatitis B in pregnancy
Signs and symptoms of acute hepatitis B in pregnancy include:
- Yellow skin and eyes;
- Nausea;
- Vomiting;
- Tiredness;
- Pain in the abdomen, especially in the upper right part, where the liver is located;
- Fever;
- Lack of appetite;
- Pale stools, like putty;
- Dark urine, like the color of Coca-Cola.
In chronic hepatitis B, the pregnant woman usually has no symptoms, although this situation also has risks for the baby. Find out everything about hepatitis B.
