ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF HEPATITIS C INFECTION IN PREGNANTWOMEN AT OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF PEOPLES MEDICAL UNIVERSITY AND HOSPITAL DISTRICT SHAEED BENAZIR ABADSINDH PROVINCE PAKISTAN

Abstract

Purpose: The prevalence of hepatitis C is 3% of the world population with more the 3 million new cases are being reported, In Pakistan, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus Infection ranges from 8%-15% in the general population. In Pakistan about 13 million people are infected. Prevalence of hepatitis C in pregnancy has been studied across Pakistan and is reported with the range of 3.27%-8.9%. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted between may to June 2018. in people’s medical university at outpatient Department of gynaecology and obstetrics in district shaheed Benazir abad Sindh Pakistan. All pregnant Patient age 16 -45 years visiting in department of gynaecology and obstetrics included irrespective of gestational age on their first visit of antenatal care were targeted and interviewed using a pretested and structured questionnaire after ethical approval. The calculated sample size was 318. In this study out of 318 respondents 26 (8.2%) were positive with HCV there is association in socio demographic factors between HCV uneducated respondents 10(38.5% n=26) (p.value=0.001) association also observed in past medical history that were significantly associated history injectable 24 (92.3% n=26) (p.value=0.002) were positive with HCV and history blood transfusion 15(57.7% n=26) (p.value =0.001) positive for HCV. Conclusion: It is concluded from this study that HCV is a common infection in pregnant women. It was also found out that the prevalence of HCV was associated with socio demographic factors like poor literacy rate, low socioeconomic status; past medical history including unsafe injection by traditional practitioners, and blood transfusion, were found to be strongly associated with increased HCV infection among the pregnant women.