Article Category:
Research Article

Chronic Hepatitis B in Women of Childbearing Age and Pregnant Women in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Liyang Zhou Department of Infectious Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, and Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

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Xitao Liu Department of Clinical Research Management Office, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

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Xueting Ou Department of Infectious Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, and Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

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Qiongyu Sheng Department of Clinical Research Management Office, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

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Bing Situ Department of Clinical Research Management Office, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

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Fang He Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;
Guangzhou Obstetrics Critical Care Center, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China

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Xingfei Pan Department of Infectious Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, and Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0217
Volume/Issue:
Volume 110: Issue 4
Page(s):
719–723
Restricted access
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ABSTRACT.

Pregnant women and women of childbearing age were enrolled in our study and their knowledge about the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) was evaluated. A questionnaire was distributed to every woman in the cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was answered by all participants before they received health education and advice about HBV and CHB from the doctors visited. Data collected from all answers were analyzed using the χ2 test and logistic regression models. A total of 206 pregnant women and women of childbearing age with CHB infection were enrolled in the study during their first visit to the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. Some women of childbearing age (40.8%) and pregnant women with CHB infection (30.6%) still believed HBV could be transmitted through diet and/or mosquito bites. Some women of childbearing age and pregnant women with CHB infection had limited knowledge of the prevention of HBV transmission (111 of 206, 53.9%). Women with higher levels of education had more knowledge about HBV (senior middle school, P = 0.02; university, P <0.01). The majority of participants were willing to take antiviral medicine to decrease the mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate of HBV. Some women of childbearing age and/or pregnant women with CHB infection have relatively limited knowledge about HBV or CHB. This situation contributes to the timeliness, or lack thereof, of these women with CHB to see a doctor and receive antiviral therapy. As a result, the morbidity and mortality of HBV-related complications could increase along with the rate of MTCT of HBV.

Author Notes

Financial support: This study was funded by research grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81401306), the Clinical Research Project of Guangzhou Medical University (No. 2017[160]), and Municipal school joint funding project of Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau (202102010130).

Disclosure: The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. Written informed consent was obtained from every participant in the study.

Data availability: The data sets used and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding authors on reasonable request.

Authors’ addresses: Liyang Zhou, Xueting Ou, and Xingfei Pan, Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China, E-mails: zliy1990h@163.com, ouxueting@126.com, and panxf0125@163.com. Xitao Liu, Qiongyu Sheng, and Bing Situ, Department of Clinical Research Management Office, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China, E-mails: gy2018xitao@163.com, sakurasheng@126.com, and situbing@gz.gov.cn. Fang He, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Obstetrics Critical Care Center, and Guangzhou Obstetrics Critical Care Center, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China, E-mail: hefangjnu@126.com.

Address correspondence to Fang He or Xingfei Pan, No. 63, Duobao Rd., Guangzhou 510150, China. E-mails: hefangjnu@126.com or panxf0125@163.com
Copyright:
© American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2024
Received:
27 Apr 2023
|
Accepted:
20 Nov 2023
|
Published Online:
05 Mar 2024
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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