Having hepatitis B, how to prevent transmission to your lover and children?
6/29/2022 8:52:08 AM
Q: Doctor, in case a couple has hepatitis B infection, how to prevent the transmission of hepatitis B to the spouse or children?
The doctor replied:
I have to see who is infected if my husband is infected. I have to see if my wife is infected or not? Does your wife have antibodies that protect you from previous vaccinations?
If the husband is infected, the wife has been vaccinated, and the vaccine titer is protective enough, the husband will no longer contaminate the wife. In this case, the husband needs to get tested to see if the hepatitis B status requires treatment.
If the husband is infected, but the wife has been vaccinated and has enough antibodies, the child will be safe.
Suppose the husband is infected and the wife is not and does not have enough antibodies. In that case, she must go for all 3 shots of hepatitis B until she has enough protective antibodies before deciding to have children.
In the case where the wife has had hepatitis B before. Will I continue to see if this hepatitis B condition needs treatment? See if the virus is in active condition or not? In case the wife has hepatitis B, it is necessary to monitor and treat the disease before deciding to have children.
If the virus is active or liver function is affected, it should be treated until it returns to a safe level before having a baby.
In the case of an unplanned pregnancy where the wife is already infected with hepatitis B, the same is true. I see if hepatitis B is active or not. If so, I will treat it.
However, I know that hepatitis B is most contagious during labor. Administer hepatitis B serum and vaccine in the first 48 hours to prevent the baby from spreading from the mother.