Prevention of hepatitis B and C transmission during pregnancy and the first year of life.

Hepatitis B (HBV) infection is readily transmitted from infected mothers to their infants at birth. An estimated 22,000 HBV carriers give birth in the United States annually. HBV infection is more than 95% preventable if exposed infants receive hepatitis B immune globulin and HBV vaccine at birth. Current guidelines recommend testing of all pregnant women for hepatitis B surface antigen to detect infection and ensure prophylaxis of infants. The risk of perinatal transmission of hepatitis C (HCV) infection appears to be small, except in women coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus or with high viral titers. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine against HCV, although several are in development. Postexposure treatment with immunoglobulin is of no proven benefit in preventing HCV infection.