Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Specialist Hospital Yola, Adamawa State Nigeria

Aims: To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Specialist Hospital Yola.

Study Design: The prevalence of Hepatitis C was ascertained among pregnant women attending antenatal care in specialist hospital Yola, Adamawa State. Anti HcV antibody in the serum of the pregnant women was detected using a sandwich rapid diagnostic chromatographic test strip. Questioner was used to obtain the demographic data of the pregnant women.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Specialist Hospital Yola where the samples were collected. Samples were processed and the analysis carried out at Microbiology Laboratory of Modibbo Adama University Yola. The study was conducted in March to June of 2021.

Methodology: 251 consenting pregnant women of varying age and family background were enrolled in the study, where 15 were randomly selected using a systematic random sampling technique on each antenatal visit.

Results: The prevalence of HcV in this study was 5.18% and the highest prevalence was found among age group 21-25years with 1.59% and the lowest among the age group 36 and above with 0.39%. Base on type of family, HcV was found to be higher in those from monogamous families (3.59%). Hcv Prevalence was also found to be high among those women who fall in the group ‘’others’’ which comprises of school dropped out and non-educated (1.59%). Participants with tribal marks, those no history of blood transfusion and intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) also showed high prevalence of the virus with percentage prevalence of 3.19%, 3.98% and 3.98% respectively. The study revealed that HCV infection is not significantly associated with age and family type (P value > .05) but significantly associated with educational status, possession of tribal mark/tattoo, history of blood transfusion, and drug abuse (P value < .05).

Conclusion: HCV prevalence is low among pregnant women attending Specialist Hospital in Yola, Adamawa state Nigeria for antenatal care. Also, the percentage prevalence observed worldwide is within the range of 1.0-8.0%. However, there are other local governments areas with a dense population that may produce a major difference with the result obtained in this study.