Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B virus and associated risk factors among pregnant women attending Demartino hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia.

BACKGROUND

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is the most prevalent cause of serious liver infection. During pregnancy, hepatitis B virus has a higher vertical transmission rate that may later impair the physical and cognitive development of a child. The main objective of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of hepatitis B viral infection and identify the associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Demartino Hospital.

METHODS

This is an institution-based, cross-sectional study that involved pregnant women to ascertain the seroprevalence of HBsAg among them between January and February 2024. Participants were interviewed for data using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Each participant had a venous blood sample of five milliliters taken. Plasma was extracted from the blood samples and subjected to investigation using the advanced quality one-step HBsAg test kit, If the results were positive, additional testing using ELISA was conducted to determine hepatitis seroprevalence. The data were analyzed by SPSS, version 25, and both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the independent predictors of HBsAg seroprevalence, at a p-value of < 0.05.

RESULTS

The overall sero-prevalence of HBV among the pregnant women was 13.3%. History of blood transfusion (AOR = 4.271; 95% CI = 1.488-12.254), history of abortion (AOR = 3.822; 95% CI = 2.009-7.271), family history of hepatitis B infection (AOR = 5.104; 95% CI = 1.900-13.713), and history of sharing sharp materials (AOR = 3.427; 95% CI = 1.153-10.186) were found to be independently significantly associated with HBsAg seropositivity.

CONCLUSION

In WHO classification, the seroprevalence rate of HBsAg among pregnant women in this present study was highly endemic. History of abortion, history of blood transfusion, history of shared sharp materials, and family history of hepatitis B infection were risk factors which significantly predict HBsAg seropositivity. The Federal Ministry of Health needs to establish hepatitis B health education campaigns, Screening Programmes, Vaccination Programs, and treatment should be given for those already infected to save their lives and prevent Mother to Child transmission.