The problem of hepatitis C virus infections in perinatal care

Hepatitis C virus infection is an important epidemiologic issue. According to data compiled by the World Health Organization 3% of people in the world are infected. In Poland, on the basis of a research carried out in 2010 it turns out that the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in the population is 1.9%. The infection detection rate is still inconsiderable. This is because 95% of infected people are not aware of their disease. In 2012 there has been implemented the “Prevention of HCV Infections” project. This program is financed within the framework of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme (SPCP). One of the parts of this project is also the Preliminary programme of routine HCV testing among pregnant women. A mother with hepatitis C infection pose a threat to her child during pregnancy and childbirth. HCV transmission from the mother causes a risk of chronic hepatitis C infection to a newborn, which later on results in a rapid development of the disease. The innate character of the infection poses a risk of fibrosis of the liver already at early age. Virus HCV after many years of incubation may lead to cirrhosis and malignant tumor of the liver. The purpose of this paper was a literature review for identify problems in obstetrics care of woman infected with HCV.

Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (1): 123–127