Abstract:
Ghana is a known endemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, yet the consequences of HBV
infection on pregnancy outcomes are unknown. This prospective cohort study was thus conducted among
512 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana, between
January, 2011 and December, 2013 to determine the effects of hepatitis B during pregnancy on birth
outcomes in Ghana. The HBsAg status of all pregnant women was determined by the latex agglutination
test while a researcher administered semi-structured checklist was used to collect
demographic/obstetric/medical data of respondents. We obtained 262 HBsAg positive and 250 HBsAg
negative women most of whom were aged 20-29 (40%), classified themselves as low income earners (50%),
and had attained primary education (42%). Logistic regression analysis showed that pregnant women who
had chronic hepatitis B were more likely to develop PROM (p=0.008) and foul smelling liquor (p=0.024)
at delivery. Moreover, neonatal consequences for chronic hepatitis B were; preterm babies (p=0.002),
underweight (p<0.001), Apgar score lower than 7 (p<0.001), asphyxia at birth (p=0.006) and still birth
(p=0.04). We conclude that babies born to mothers with positive HBsAg status have a higher risk for
vertical transmission as well as adverse neonatal consequences.
