Assessment on seroprevalence and associated risk factors of hepatitis B surface antigen among pregnant women in Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major blood-borne and sexually transmitted infectious agent causing a significant health problem with more than 350 million people chronically infected worldwide and becoming a cause of 57% of liver cirrhosis and 80% of the world‟s primary liver cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of HBV among pregnant women attending antenatal care service in Gandhi Memorial Hospital located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study participated a total of 384 pregnant women attending antenatal care service in Gandhi Memorial Hospital from April to June, 2017 was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and information regarding possible risk factors for Hepatitis B virus infection and screening was performed by immuno-chromatographic method using advanced quality one step hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test card. The seroprevalence of HBsAg among 384 pregnant women attending antenatal care service in Gandhi memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa during the study period was 2.3%, which is a moderate prevalence according to WHO classification. Higher age specific and ethnic group specific prevalence was observed in the study, but no statistical association was observed between other risk factors included in the study and HBV transmission in the study area. Screening pregnant women in all health facilities, providing HBV vaccines to neonates born to HBV positive mothers, improving of the community awareness about the transmission routes of HBV and pre-marriage screening of the couples are recommended to reduce transmission of the virus.