All issues > Volume 34(2); 1991

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1991;34(2):190-196. Published online February 28, 1991.

Transplacental transmission of hepatitis B virus from carrier nothers to neonates.

Soh Yeon Kim¹, Chul Lee¹, Dong Gwan Han¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Yonsei University Seoul, Korea

Received: July 5, 1990;  Accepted: October 5, 1990.

Abstract

Neonates bom to hepatitis B carrier mothers at Yongdong Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine were sampled for hepatitis B viral markers using venous blood drawn from external jugular vein within 3 hours after birth and the following results were obtained. Two thousand nine hundred and seventy two pregnant women who received prenatal care at Yongdong Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine between September 1986 and December 1989 were tested for HBsAg and among them, 170 (5.7%) were found to be positive. Among the 170 neonates bom to these mothers, 24 were positive for HBsAg showing a 14.1% positive rate. The average antigen titer in these infants was 2496.7 ± 5640.7cpm which was 12 times higher than the cutoff titer of 213.2±86.3cpm. Anti-HBe IgM was positive in 1 (0.6%) among these 170 neonates. Anti-HBs was positive in 17 of the 170 neonates bom to hepatitis B virus carrier mothers indicating a 10% positivity for anti-HBs. The incidence for hepatitis B virus infection was lower in neonates bom by cesarian section than by normal vaginal delivery. However the duration and stages of labor in vaginal delivery had no relation to hepatitis B antigen positivity. There was no difference between the neonates bom to carrier mothers and in the control group for duration of pregnancy, APGAR scores at 1 and 5 minutes, weight, height, head and chest circumfer- ence and presence of congenital anomalies at birth. It can be concluded that the transplacental transmission rate of HBsAg in neonates bom to HBsAg carrier mothers is 14.1%. Anti-HBc IgM was positive in 1 among 170 neonates indicating the possibility of intrauterine infection in neonates of hepatitis B carrier mothers.

Keywords :Transplacental transmission, Hepatitis B virus, anti-H Be IgM