ResearcherID - CLICK HERE Scientific Journal Impact Factor (SJIF-2020) - CLICK HERE

A STUDY IN TERTIARY HOSPITAL TO ANALYZE RISK FACTORS FOR DISEASE ACQUISITION DUE TO HCV IN PREGNANT WOMEN AND DETERMINE THE FREQUENCY OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS ANTIBODIES

Dr Sadia Saleem, Dr Nayab Zahra, Dr Atiqa Usman

Objective: To determine the frequency of anti-Hepatitis C virus antibodies in pregnant ladies attending Services hospital, Lahore and to analyze risk factors for disease acquisition in them. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of gynecology and obstetrics Services hospital, Lahore from July, 2018 to June, 2019. Material and Methods: All pregnant ladies attending Services Hospital Lahore were tested for anti HCV antibodies by third generation ELISA method and evaluation of potential risk factors for acquisition of HCV infection was done. Results: 636 (6.95%) of patients were found to be positive for anti HCV antibodies. Conclusion: Six point nine five percentage of study pregnant ladies were found to have anti HCV antibodies. These HCV positive pregnant women were more likely to have history of blood transfusion, therapeutic injection use and surgery. Conclusion: In our study, we observed that many pregnant ladies have positive anti HCV antibodies. Moreover, unsafe blood transfusion, therapeutic injection use and surgical intervention were found to be strongly associated with HCV infection. Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, Risk factors

FULL TEXT