HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-HCV Seropositivity Rates among Pregnant Women Attending a University Hospital in Zonguldak

Abstract

Objective: To explore the HBV and HCV seroprevalence rates among pregnant women attending the Obstetric Outpatient Unit at the Medical Faculty of Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University and to provide contributory data to the already existing data from the other geographical regions of Turkey. Materials and Methods: HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HCV seropositivity rates were retrospectively investigated among a total of 1084 pregnant women attending the Obstetric Outpatient Unit at the Medical Faculty of Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University between January 2012 and January 2014 Serum assays were performed using a chemiluminescence immunoassay method according the manufacturer's instructions (Cobas e 411 Analyzer, Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). Statistical analyses of the study data were performed using SPSS 18.0 software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago IL, USA). Results: The mean age of the 1084 pregnant participants was 29.12 +/- 5.48 years (min: 17, max: 46 y) and the average gestational age was 10.7 +/- 4.64 weeks. HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV detection rates were 4% (n= 43), 7.3% (n= 79), and 0.6% (n= 7), respectively. With regard to age groups, HBsAg was positive in 3.1%, 3.7%, 4.4%, and 5.9% of the women who were below 20 years of age, between 21 and 30 years of age, between 31 and 40 years of age, and over 40 years of age, respectively. Conclusion: While similar rates of seroprevalence for HBsAg and anti-HCV were found as compared to the previous reports from Turkey, anti-HBs positivity rates were lower than that in most of the previous reports.