Abstract:
Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is remaining a significant public health problem world
wide. It causes acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death. Mother-to Child Transmission (MTCT) of HBV infection is one of the main transmission route and it
contribute for overall prevalence in epidemic countries including Ethiopia. However, there is
inadequate data on burden of HBV among the delivering mothers and rate of MTCT in Ethiopia
at large and in study setting in particular. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate sero prevalence of HBV infection, mother-to-child transmission, and associated risk factors among
delivering mothers at Madda Walabu University, Goba Referral Hospital, Southeast, Ethiopia.
Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus infection, mother-to-child
transmission, and associated risk factors among delivering mothers at Madda Walabu University,
Goba Referral Hospital, Southeast, Ethiopia.
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted, from July 1, 2022 to August
30, 2022. A total of 361 delivering mothers and their neonate were included. Socio-demographic,
clinical and obstetrics data were collected using structured questionnaire. Blood specimens were
collected from the mother and cord newborn. The sample was tested for Hepatitis B surface
antigen (HBsAg) using rapid test kits (Weifang Kanghua Biotech Co., Ltd). The data were
analyzed by SPSS software version 25.0. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis
were computed to determine the associated factors with Hepatitis B Virus infection.
Result: The overall prevalence of HBV infection among the delivering mothers was 5%
(18/361) and MTCT rate was 33.3% (6/18). History of abortion (AOR = 7.421; P = 0.018),
tattooing body (AOR= 4.194; P = 0.022), multiple sexual partners (AOR = 5.361; p = 0.007),
and being HIV positive (AOR = 4.817; P = 0.029) were remained independent predictors of
HBV sero-positivity. Conclusion and Recommendation: The seroprevalence of HBV infection
among delivering women is an intermediate endemicity (2-7%) and the rate of MTCT was high
in the study area. Therefore, to minimize the higher overall risk exposure status of mothers,
increasing awareness and intensive public health education
