Prevalence and epidemiological profile of Hepatitis B in pregnant women: a population study in a Brazilian Western Amazon city from 2007 to 2015

Abstract Objectives: this study aimed to describe the epidemiological profile and prevalence of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women living in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study concerning the prevalence of Hepatitis B in a cohort of women who gave birth in Rio Branco from 2007 to 2015. Data were obtained through health information systems. Pregnant women presenting one or more serological markers or positive molecular biology examination were considered confirmed cases of infections. Infection prevalence, the odds ratio (5% significance) and sociodemographic, clinical, obstetric and neonatal variable frequency distributions were calculated. The student's t-test and Mann Whitney test were applied, as well as the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, at a significance level of 5%. Results: a total of 62,100 pregnant women were identified for the study period. The prevalence of Hepatitis B in the group was of 0.38% (206 cases), and only 12,5% were diagnosed during the first gestation trimester. A significant difference (p=0.034) in the mean age of infected women was observed when compared to those without infection. The chance of an infected pregnant woman giving birth to a child with a 1st Apgar minute