Perinatal hep C
What is Perinatal Hepatitis C?
Perinatal hepatitis C is the transmission of hepatitis C during pregnancy or delivery of a pregnant woman to their infant. The rate of infection for perinatal hepatitis C is approximately 5%. This rate can be higher for women also infected with uncontrolled HIV and women with a high amount of hepatitis C in an RNA test result.
Who should get tested?
Some key takeaways from screening recommendations for this population include:
- Universal screening is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for those 18 years and older, as well as once during each pregnancy for pregnant women.
- Perinatally exposed infants and children should also be screened. Please review the updated testing recommendations for perinatally exposed infants and children published in November 2023.
Who should get treated?
Hepatitis C is curable! This involves safe and effective treatments, and 95% of people can expect to be cured within 8 to 12 weeks. For children, those three years and older have been approved for treatment using direct-acting antivirals (DAA). More information on treatment recommendations is available on the HCV Guidelines: HCV in Children webpage and Treatment of Hepatitis C webpage.
Want to learn more?
Perinatal Hepatitis C Webinar | October 15 at 12-1:30 PM
The Arizona Department of Health Services’ Office of HIV and Hepatitis C Services (OHHS) will host a perinatal hepatitis C webinar as part of its Lunch and Learn series. This webinar will provide Arizona healthcare providers with insights into the specifics of testing and treating children with hepatitis C in Arizona, including experiences working with pregnant individuals and infants, as well as testing barriers for infants. Current speakers include:
Dr. Kim Costello, DO, MMM, CPE, FAAP – UPMC Central PA Neonatologist
Dr. Elizabeth Moran, MD – COPE Community Services
Dr. Nathan Price, MD
Registration: LINK
Resources
Health Care Provider Infosheet