In our country, there are not a few hepatitis B virus carriers and chronic hepatitis B patients. There are also many misunderstandings, discrimination and worries about this disease in our hearts. Especially when patients plan to have children, they are especially worried that hepatitis B virus will affect their children.
In fact, as long as protection is done well, hepatitis B virus can be prevented from affecting the next generation.
Pregnancy preparation: check virus replication and liver function
No matter which spouse has chronic hepatitis B virus infection, when planning pregnancy, the infected spouse should check five items of hepatitis B and HBV-DNA, and check liver function at the same time.
The party without infection should check the five items of hepatitis B and the antibody titer. If there is no hepatitis B antibody or the antibody titer is low, the party should be vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine.
If the virus in the patient’s body is in the active period, antiviral therapy should be carried out first to reduce the level of HBV-DNA and avoid pregnancy during the active period of the virus.
If a woman is infected with chronic hepatitis B virus, she should also check her liver function before pregnancy and plan pregnancy under the condition of normal liver function.
Effect of Drugs on Pregnancy Preparation
During taking antiviral drugs, contraceptive measures should be taken to avoid pregnancy.
At present, there is no evidence to show how long it is appropriate for men to get pregnant after receiving antiviral treatment. It is generally believed that even if these antiviral drugs affect sperm, they also make pregnancy difficult, rather than affect the health of newborns.
If you are worried, the whole cycle of sperm development and maturity is about 3 months, and men receiving treatment can plan pregnancy after semen examination 3 months after the end of antiviral treatment.
If a woman receives antiviral therapy, liver function should be monitored during and after antiviral therapy. Pregnancy can be considered if liver function remains normal 6 months after the end of antiviral therapy.
Pregnancy: Pay attention to liver function
During pregnancy, expectant mothers with chronic hepatitis B infection should carefully use various drugs and regularly check liver function, hepatitis B five items and HBV-DNA, especially in the early and late pregnancy. At least once every 1-2 months. If there are obvious abnormal manifestations such as fatigue, anorexia, dark yellow urine and yellow eyes, they should go to the hospital in time.
Recent studies have shown that injection of hepatitis B immunoglobulin in the third trimester of pregnancy cannot prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus and is not necessary.
Delivery: Caesarean section cannot reduce infection rate,
As long as the newborn receives formal prevention after birth, there is no significant difference between cesarean section and natural delivery in blocking mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B..
There is no need to choose caesarean section simply because of chronic hepatitis B infection.
After birth: Formal prevention of newborns is the most important.
No matter whether the parents have hepatitis B virus infection or not, all newborns should receive compulsory hepatitis B immunization after birth. After birth, the full moon and the half year old should be vaccinated with one dose of hepatitis B vaccine each, totaling 3 doses.
If the mother is chronically infected with hepatitis B virus:
Full-term newborns must be injected with hepatitis B immunoglobulin in time after birth. In addition, they also need to be vaccinated with one shot of hepatitis B vaccine after birth, one shot at the full moon and one shot at the age of half a year, just like other children.
Premature infants must be injected with hepatitis B immunoglobulin within 12 hours after birth, and need to be injected again after an interval of 3-4 weeks. Usually, 4 injections of hepatitis B vaccine are required: the first injection after birth, and the next 3 injections are 1 injection from 0, 1 and 6 months after the expected date of delivery.
For example, premature infants born at 35 weeks of pregnancy should be vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin after birth. At the end of 2 weeks of birth (at this time, they are just born according to the expected date of delivery), they should be vaccinated with the second dose of hepatitis B vaccine, and the remaining 2 doses should be vaccinated 1 month and 6 months after the second dose of hepatitis B vaccine respectively.
If the father or family has other chronic hepatitis B infection:
Close contact with the newborn may lead to infection of the newborn. It is recommended that the above treatment measures be taken after the newborn is born.
In addition, if parents or family members have chronic hepatitis B infection, when the baby completes three doses of hepatitis B vaccine, remember to carry out five hepatitis B tests after the baby reaches 7 months old to understand the antibody production situation, and if necessary, another dose of hepatitis B vaccine can be vaccinated.
After regular prevention, hepatitis B does not affect breast feeding.
As long as the newborn receives hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and hepatitis B vaccine injection within 12 hours after birth, it can obtain a high protection rate and the possibility of contracting hepatitis B is very small.
Therefore, as long as you receive formal prevention, you can breastfeed and there is no need to check the virus in milk.
Reject prejudice and communicate frankly.
After perfect prevention procedures, the transmission of hepatitis B between parents and children can be basically avoided.
The frank communication, mutual understanding and understanding between family members are important prerequisites for formal treatment and prevention.
Clinically, I have seen patients because they are afraid of discrimination from their families and conceal their illness, which leads to children not getting formal prevention in the first place and infected with hepatitis B virus. In newborns, hepatitis B virus infection is very easy to become chronic and is very unfavorable to children’s health.
Prejudice, discrimination and concealment will eventually harm themselves.
We should understand that daily life contact will not cause the spread of hepatitis B at all. We have no need to [turn pale at the mention of liver] for hepatitis B..
Both theory and practice have proved that even between husband and wife, hepatitis B infection can be completely avoided as long as protective measures are taken, such as vaccination and condom use.
Only by eliminating discrimination against hepatitis B as soon as possible can hepatitis B be eliminated earlier. I hope every couple can give birth to a healthy baby!