Objective: To investigate the possibility and risk factors of intrauterine transmission of hepatitis virus C (HCV) in Taiyuan City.
Methods: Anti-HCV and HCV RNA were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR), in 64 mothers with HCV or HCV RNA positive and their newborns cord blood samples. Case-control study was used for the risk factors analysis.
Results: The infection rate of HCV was 66.15% in newborns from anti-HCV or HCV RNA positive mothers. The intrauterine transmission rate was 100% in newborns from HCV RNA positive mothers. There was a significant correlation between HCV intrauterine transmission and maternal history of blood transfusion and abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT), and the relative risk was 317.15 and 2.60, respectively.
Conclusions: The higher incidence of intrauterine transmission was found in newborns from HCV RNA or anti-HCV positive mothers. The high risk factors of intrauterine transmission are maternal blood transfusion history and abnormal ALT.