Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Infection among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at a Tertiary Hospital in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatitis B infection (HBV) is a major global public health concern. An estimated 400 million people are chronic carriers and about a million deaths are recorded from Hepatitis B related complications. Like other medical conditions and infection, HBV can be found among pregnant women. Objectives: The main objective of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women at Federal Teaching Hospital, Birnin kebbi, Nigeria Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among the pregnant population attending antenatal care at FTH Birnin kebbi, between July 2021 and April 2022. Informed consent was obtained, and data on sociodemographic was collected. Hepatitis B surface antigen detection was done using an in vitro diagnostic kit (LabACON kits) by Citus Diagnostic Inc. British Columbia, Canada. The data generated from the study were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 26 (SPSS Inc. Illinois, USA). Results: A total of 663 pregnant women were screened. The mean age was 28.1 ± 5.1 years. The overall seroprevalence of hepatitis B infection was 8.9% (59/663; 95% CI: 6.7-11.1%). Most participants were aged 26-30 years (49.2%), Hausa/Fulani ethnicity (78.9%), married (98.8%), and in a monogamous marriage (66.1%). Though, 56 % of the subjects had secondary level of education, most of them were unemployed (59%). Conclusion: The seroprevalence rate of HBV infection is high in our environment and this study highlights the importance of routine antenatal screening as part of efforts in reducing the risk of mother-to-child transmission.