1 Provost College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University/Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
2 Mother, Baby and Adolescent Care Global Foundation.
3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynae cology, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
4 Department of Community Medicine, Rivers State Universty.
5 Department of Human Physiology, Rivers State University.
6 Department of Pharmacology, Rivers State University.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 12(03), 393-397
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2021.12.3.0674
Received on 06November 2021; revised on 19December 2021; accepted on 21 December 2021
Background: Hepatitis B Viral (HBV) infection is a potentially fatal infection of public health importance globally. Pregnant women and their unborn children are at risk of this infection due to its mode of transmission especially when in contact with infected body fluids and from mother to child transmission respectively. The prevalence of HBV infection in Nigeria is 13.6%.
Aim: To determine the prevalence of HBV infection amongst pregnant women in rural community in southern Nigeria.
Methods: This was a retrospective cross sectional study of pregnant women at Ogoni Primary Health Centers and General Hospitals in Southern Nigeria carried over a 4-month period. Serological test results for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) of subjects were retrieved from the laboratories. Permission was gotten from Director of Public Health Rivers State Ministry of Health. The information gotten was analyzed using independent t test, chi square and fisher exact tests. Significance level was set at 0.05.
Result: One hundred and eighty-five pregnant women were recruited for the study. The mean age of the antenatal clinic attendees was 28 ± 2 years, the mean gestational age at booking was 25 weeks and the mean parity was 2. Majority had secondary level of education represented by 122 (66%). Fifteen (8.1%) of the pregnant women were positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen.
Conclusion: The prevalence of HBV infection was 8.1% in Ogoni southern Nigeria. This is worisome, hence preventive measures including HBV vaccines should be made available to the populace.
Prevalence; HBV; Infection; Southern; Nigeria
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Orluwene CG, Eli S, Okagua KE, Owhonda G, Tee GP, Nnoka V and Emeghara GI. Prevalence of Hepatitis B viral infection amongst pregnant women in rural community in Southern Nigeria. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 12(3), 392-397. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.12.3.0674