Prevalence of Hepatitis B Infection among Pregnant Women at Khartoum Teaching Hospital, Sudan

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women and to evaluate the risk factors of hepatitis B infection. The study was conducted during the period (March to June, 2010) in Khartoum state, Sudan. A total of 160 pregnant women who presented to the labor ward or antenatal clinic of Khartoum Teaching Hospital were enrolled. Socio-demographic characteristics were gathered, in addition to obstetric history through a structured questionnaire. Hepatitis B surface antigen was assayed using rapid test. The seropositivity among the studied population was 12 (7.5%) for HBsAg (Hepatitis B surface antigen). Some of the studied risk factors were found to be statistically significant in relation to hepatitis B virus infection among Sudanese pregnant women in Khartoum state. The study concluded that HBV infection among pregnant Sudanese women is of high endemicity in Khartoum state.