Hepatitis C carriers during pregnancy have no increased risk of complications, but transmission to the baby during delivery is possible, with an average risk of 5%. Severe liver damage can cause serious complications, and there is no cure or treatment to prevent transmission from mother to baby.
There have been few studies to determine the exact risks of hepatitis C during pregnancy. The few studies that have been completed suggest that there is no increased risk of pregnancy or childbirth complications for those who are carriers of this disease. Transmission to the baby during delivery is possible, but the average risk is only about 5%. Women who have advanced forms of the disease and severe liver damage can experience serious complications such as liver failure and even death.
Many who have hepatitis C during pregnancy will experience no symptoms. There are those who have lived with the disease for many years without feeling any effects. For these individuals the virus appears to lie dormant, but they are still carriers and can pass it on to others. According to most studies, asymptomatic pregnant women are no more likely to have complications during pregnancy than those who are not carriers of the virus.
Those with hepatitis C while pregnant are at risk of passing the virus to their babies. The exact chances of spreading vary from mother to mother and may depend on how sick the mother is. Most mothers have a less than 10% chance of passing it on, although those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may have a higher risk of passing it on to their babies during delivery.
Women who have more advanced hepatitis C during pregnancy may have more serious complications. Those who have severe liver disease may be at risk of serious illness such as complete liver failure and even death. Sometimes medical treatments can be done to support or improve liver function until delivery can be done and a transplant can be completed, although many drugs used to treat hepatitis C are not safe during pregnancy. Sometimes the baby will need to be delivered as soon as it is developed enough to survive outside the womb.
Mothers with severe hepatitis C infection should avoid becoming pregnant unless approved by a doctor. The risk of spreading the infection to their babies may be greater for these women. There are no treatments available to prevent hepatitis C from spreading from mother to baby, and there is no cure for hepatitis C. Vaccines and drugs that can treat or cure the disease are being developed, but they have not been approved for the disease. efficacy or safety at the time of writing.
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