Contents:
- Medical Video: Precautions For Pregnant Women With Hepatitis B Infection - Manipal Hospital
- If I am infected with hepatitis while pregnant, is my baby infected?
- What is the impact if my baby has hepatitis?
- Can I breastfeed if I suffer from hepatitis?
- How to protect babies from hepatitis infection?
Medical Video: Precautions For Pregnant Women With Hepatitis B Infection - Manipal Hospital
Many pregnant women are totally unaware that they have been infected with the hepatitis virus. This is because the symptoms of hepatitis usually appear vaguely similar to other common symptoms, or may not appear at all.If you are diagnosed with hepatitis while pregnant, one of your main concerns is whether your infection will affect the health of the baby in the womb. The hepatitis virus can be transmitted from mother to child during labor.
This article will explore all of your questions about hepatitis during pregnancy.
If I am infected with hepatitis while pregnant, is my baby infected?
To ensure the chances of contracting hepatitis, your baby needs to be examined for possible contracting hepatitis when he is 18 months even though sometimes tests can be done when the baby is as early as 2 months of age. But the results of the tests can not be entirely accurate if done too early. Therefore, the test must be repeated again at the age of 18 months. The test that can best produce accurate results if done when he is 2 years old. Experts use a type of hepatitis blood test similar to that used in adults.
What is the impact if my baby has hepatitis?
Infants in the womb are generally not affected by the mother's hepatitis virus during pregnancy. However, there are certain increases in risk that may occur during labor, such as premature babies, low birth weight (LBW), or anatomical and bodily functions of the baby (especially in chronic hepatitis B infection).
Another risk is that your baby can be infected at birth. Babies may be infected with hepatitis B at birth if the mother is positively infected. Usually, this disease is passed on to a child who is exposed to hepatitis's positive blood and vaginal fluids during labor. Hepatitis B virus infection can be very severe in infants. This infection can threaten their lives. If the child is infected with the hepatitis B virus during childhood, most of the cases will continue to be chronic. Chronic hepatitis is what can have a negative impact on children's health in the future, which is in the form of liver damage (cirrhosis) and sometimes liver cancer (especially if accompanied by hepatitis C virus infection).
Children who are carriers of hepatitis should see a doctor regularly to undergo a blood test. Kmost cases of hepatitis in children do not need medication, but some children will need to be treated with antiviral drugs to prevent the risk of severe liver damage (cirrhosis) or liver cancer.
Can I breastfeed if I suffer from hepatitis?
Nursing mothers who have hepatitis can still breastfeed their babies. Health experts believe that the hepatitis virus cannot be transmitted through breast milk. According to many studies, the chances of the risk of hepatitis exposure in infants who are breastfed exclusively and breastfeeding a formula are equally large if they are born to mothers who are positive for hepatitis during pregnancy.
But if you suffer from hepatitis and experience a relapse that is accompanied by symptoms of jaundice after the birth of a baby, you may not breastfeed. If your nipples are cracked or bleeding, you should also stop breastfeeding. You have to keep pumping and throwing away your milk until your nipples have healed.
How to protect babies from hepatitis infection?
The good news is that there is little chance for you to reduce the hepatitis C virus to your baby. Only 4-6% of babies born to hepatitis C positive mothers will be infected with the virus. This means that almost all babies born to mothers with hepatitis C will not get the virus. The risk of new hepatitis C transmission from mother to child increases if the mother has a high viral load or at the same time has HIV at the same time. This risk will be even higher if you do not undergo any treatment. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent transmission of hepatitis C to your baby.
Before deciding to get pregnant, you must undergo a health check to ensure that you are healthy. If you suffer from hepatitis before becoming pregnant, discuss with your doctor to get a good treatment to protect your baby as much as possible.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
