| dc.description.abstract | Background: Viral hepatitis is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. HBV infected mothers during pregnancy are at a high risk of transmission to the new born. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) there are very few studies of HBV infection among pregnant women despite the highest burden of HBV which has existed. Earlier, it was revealed that sub-Saharan Africa is second with the largest population of chronic carriers HBV infection after Asia, estimated to be about 50millions according to Burnett et al., (2005), followed by western pacific, hence a high risk of developing life-threatening liver disease Aim: To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis Band associated factors in pregnant women attending antenatal care at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital.Methods: A cross sectional study was performed at the antennal unit within FPRRH between anuary-March. Data was collected using questionnaires to assess factors predisposing pregnant women to HBV. Rapid chromatographic immune assay for detection of HBsAg of HBVwas used to detect the HBV statuses of the participants. Data was analysed using STATA to get the prevalence and calculate the association of factors. Results: Among 299participants, 6 (2%) had HBV. The most represented age-group was 16-24years(54.8%). 64.6% of the women were married and 35.4% single. Statistically significant factors were; refugee status (OR 53, 95%CI 2.29-137.82, p value =0.013) refugees vs non-refugees among the single women (table 3), blood transfusion(OR 103 95%CI 3.44-1087.06, p value = 0.008) those who have had it vs those who have not yet, amongst the single women (table 3). Conclusion and recommendation: HBV is low among pregnant women attending antenatal care at FPRRH as compared with all the other regions of Uganda besides the south-west (0.8%) (UPHIA, 2016). Hepatitis B within the region is not an immediate threat to pregnant women within the region as shown by the prevalence. Young women/girls (16-24 years) are more likely to become pregnant yet by that age school is mandatory. Majority of the women depend on the husband as bread-winners since most of them are housewives.Government and development partners in health need to pay special attention to the factors that predispose the women to HBV so as to tackle the problem in the future. There is a need to urgently introduce | en_US |
