Effect of hepatitis B immunoglobulin on interruption of HBV intrauterine infection.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in interrupting hepatitis B virus (HBV) intrauterine infection during late pregnancy. METHODS: We allocated 112 HBsAg positive pregnant women into 2 groups randomly. Fifty seven cases in the HBIG group received 200 IU (unit) HBIG intramuscularly every 4 wk from the 28 wk of gestation to the time of delivery, while 55 cases in the control group received no special treatment. HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAb, HBeAb, HBsAb and HBV DNA levels were tested in the peripheral blood specimens from all of the mothers at 28 wk of gestation, just before delivery, and in blood from their newborns within 24 h before administration of immune prophylaxis. RESULTS: The intrauterine infection rate in HBIG group and control group were 10.5% and 27.3%, respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). It showed ascendant trend as HBV DNA levels in the peripheral blood increased before delivery. CONCLUSION: HBIG is potent to cut down HBV intrauterine infection rate significantly when administered to pregnant women regularly during late pregnancy. The possibility of HBV intrauterine infection increases if maternal blood HBV DNA> or =10(8) copies/mL.

Interruption of HBV intrauterine transmission: a clinical study.

AIM: To investigate the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific immunoglobin (HBIG) and lamivudine on HBV intrauterine transmission in HBsAg positive pregnant women. METHODS: Each subject in the HBIG group (56 cases) was given 200 IU HBIG intramuscularly (im.) every 4 weeks from 28-week (wk) of gestation, while each subject in the lamivudine group (43 cases) received 100 mg lamivudine orally (po.) every day from 28-wk of gestation until the 30(th) day after labor. Subjects in the control group (52 cases) received no specific treatment. Blood specimens were tested for HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV-DNA in all maternities at 28-wk of gestation, before delivery, and in their newborns 24 hours before the administration of immune prophylaxis. RESULTS: Reductions of HBV DNA in both treatments were significant (P<0.05). The rate of neonatal intrauterine HBV infection was significantly lower in HBIG group (16.1 %) and lamivudine group (16.3 %) compared with control group (32.7 %) (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between HBIG group and lamivudine group (P>0.05). No side effects were found in all the pregnant women or their newborns. CONCLUSION: The risk of HBV intrauterine infection can be effectively reduced by administration of HBIG or Lamivudine in the 3(rd) trimester of HBsAg positive pregnant women.