Factors Associated With Hepatitis B Infection Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in LA NKWANTANANG Madina Municipality

ABSTRACT

Background: Hepatitis B disease is a major threat to public health and its chronic carriers constitute about 5% of the world’s population. Some regions of Africa and the Middle East have a disproportionately higher carrier rate of 10% and 15% respectively. The risk of developing chronic hepatitis B is 95% for infections acquired during the perinatal period compared with 5% for those who acquired during adulthood and a pooled prevalence of hepatitis B infection among pregnant women in previous studies is 13.1% and among the public is 12.3%. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with Hepatitis B infection among pregnant women who attended antenatal care (ANC) in La Nkwantanang Madina municipality. Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a purposively selected four (4) health institutions. A total of 258 pregnant women were selected using systematic random sampling with the daily ANC attendance sheet as sampling frame. A structured questionnaire was administered and data on their Hepatitis B status were extracted from the documentation in the Maternal record book. Hepatitis B profile test was done to determine their HBeAg status for those with HBsAg positivity status. Results: The respective prevalence of HBsAg and HBeAg determined were 8 out of 258(3.1%) (CI: 0.013 –0.060) and 1 out 8 (12.5%) (CI: 0.0981 – 2.141). Parity of 4 (OR: 1.813, CI: 1.348- 6.018, P