Hepatitis C in pregnant women

Some women are carriers of viral hepatitis C and do not even know their condition. Learn about this, they can in the women's consultation while giving analysis about pregnancy. According to statistics, every twentieth pregnant woman is infected.

Hepatitis C in pregnant women is not a contraindication to the bearing of a child. Still, with chronic inflammation of the liver, pregnancy is threatened. With the help of medicines, the disease can be defeated in just six months.

If, in spite of medical therapy, the virus did not leave the body, this means that the process has been chronicized, which manifests itself in the form of destruction of the liver cells. The hepatitis C virus is transmitted through the blood. Specialists even talk about genetic predisposition to the disease. Infection often occurs through microtrauma on the skin and mucous membranes.

Viral infection does not die for a long time, even if the blood dries, which is why infection often occurs in beauty salons, dental offices and polyclinics. Infection with hepatitis C can occur with the general use of a razor or even a toothbrush.

Disease in the period of bearing a child

Hepatitis C during pregnancy - can I get pregnant? Experts say that you can. In itself, the presence of a virus in the body does not affect the development of the fetus. Moreover, during the period of gestation the disease does not progress, because the effect of the virus is suspended. Already to the onset of the second trimester, a blood test for liver tests comes back to normal.

However, immediately after delivery, the disease begins to actively progress. Detection of the virus before conception is not an absolute contraindication to pregnancy. Experts argue that even an infected woman can become pregnant and have a baby.

Hepatitis C and pregnancy compatible

The main issue that worries women who have been diagnosed with hepatitis C is whether the infection is transmitted to the child. Yes, the risk of infection does exist, but experts say that the probability of infection is a maximum of ten percent.

Mother-to-child infection can occur in the following ways:

• intrapartum infection - during labor;
• postnatal - after childbirth when taking care of a child, as well as breastfeeding.

False positive result of

Positive result may show during carriage. It is interesting that with repeated studies, the results may radically differ. This is due to the use of different sets for conducting diagnostics. False positive result can be caused by the following reasons:

• tumor processes;
• autoimmune reactions;
• infectious diseases;
• reception of immunosuppressants;
• low quality in conducting diagnostics;
• improper preparation of biological material - venous blood;
• random sample substitution;
• laboratory technician error.

False positive result may be due to the error of the laboratory assistant

How is pregnancy with hepatitis C in a woman?

Usually, symptoms of hepatitis C in pregnancy are mild or nonexistent. Often, women do not notice the signs of the disease, or they write off them for another pathology. Nevertheless, hepatitis C requires treatment, otherwise serious complications, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer, may occur.

When a woman first becomes infected, she has symptoms that are characteristic of the flu-like condition: lethargy, weakness. Yellowness of the skin and sclera occurs extremely rarely.

The chronic process is characterized by the appearance of such symptoms: rapid fatigue, nausea, muscle pains, discomfort in the right hypochondrium, memory impairment, anxiety depressive conditions.

It's not for nothing that hepatitis C is called a gentle killer. This is due to the possibility of its asymptomatic course. Even for many years a person may not even suspect about the presence of the disease. Hepatitis C in pregnant women can not be clinically manifested.

Consequences of

In an infected woman, a child can be born prematurely, with a low weight. If the pregnant woman is overweight, then the likelihood of developing gestational diabetes increases. Infected women need a more thorough examination because of the possibility of spontaneous abortion and fetal hypoxia.

After birth, the child must take a blood test for the presence of the hepatitis C virus. In the first eighteen months, antibodies in the child's body have a parentage. Still, when detecting antibodies, additional studies, including ultrasound, will be required. The PCR method helps to identify the genetic code of a pathogenic microorganism.

The virus is not transmitted through mother's milk, so the disease does not affect breastfeeding. Nevertheless, there are risks of infection in the event that the child has injuries in the oral cavity. Also, if the child is incorrectly applied to the breast, nipples may form cracks, from which blood may be released.

It is worth noting that conception with chronic hepatitis is almost impossible. This is due to the fact that the pathological process is reflected in the reproductive sphere, causing irregularities in the menstrual cycle and even infertility. But it is the liver that takes an active part in the metabolism of hormones. Pregnancy is theoretically possible, but after the treatment.

Children born to women with hepatitis C may have negative results of

tests. In hepatitis C, cholesterol is more likely to occur. The pathological process manifests itself in the form of a violation of the removal of bile into the intestine. This leads to the accumulation of bile salts. Women are worried about the strongest itch, especially at night. After a while after the birth, cholestasis passes by itself.

Features of treatment

Most drugs during the period of bearing a child are forbidden to take. Some drugs used in hepatitis C can cause malformations of the fetus. Known drugs for hepatitis C are Interferon and Ribavirin, but they are strictly forbidden during pregnancy.

Still, in extremely difficult cases, the doctor can decide on the appointment of these drugs. Fighting the disease is not only drug therapy, it is a change in the whole way of life, including nutrition. The products used must be vitaminized. To eat it is necessary in small, small portions.

Pregnant physical activity, overwork, overcooling are forbidden. As for the choice of delivery, the doctors do not give an unequivocal answer, because the probability of infection is approximately the same as for cesarean section, and for physiological births. If a woman had bad results for liver tests, then the doctor recommends a natural delivery.

So, hepatitis C and pregnancy are compatible concepts, although with a chronic form the chances of getting pregnant are pretty small. You can get infected through the blood. Often the ailment during the period of bearing the child does not progress, but after the birth the disease again begins to intensify.

Pregnant women should follow a proper lifestyle and follow a diet. In order to avoid trouble during pregnancy and not expose the baby to the risk of infection, it is better to plan in advance for conception. Before the onset of pregnancy, undergo a comprehensive examination and cure all existing diseases.