Epidemiologic Study of Hepatitis B in Pregnant Korean Women

The positive rates of hepatitis B viral markers according to many epidemiologic factors were analyzed in 2,873 pregnant women who delivered at St. Columban’s Hospital in Mokpo City from April 1st, 1985 to March 31st, 1986. 1. The overall HBsAg positivity in all pregnant women was 8.3%. 2. The positive rate of HBsAg was unrelated to age. It was 13.2% in the 11–20 year age group. 12.5% in the 31–40 year age group, 7.8% in the 21–30 year age group and 0.0% in the 41–50 year age group. 3. The positive rate of HBsAg was slightly related to locality. It was a little higher in women who grew up in rural areas (8.6%) than in urban areas (7.7%). 4. The positive rate of HBsAg was unrelated to educational background. 5. The positive rate of HBsAg was unrelated to economic status. It was 8.7% in the highest income group and 8.6% in the lowest income group. 6. The positive rate of HBsAg was higher in cases who had injections more than four times. 7. The positive rate of HBsAg was higher, but not significantly, in cases who had received blood transfusion. 8. The positive rate of HBsAg was higher, but not significantly, in cases who had more than three siblings (0.05 <p <0.1). 9. There was no significant difference in HBsAg positivity if there had been a history of venereal disease. 10. The effect of a family history of liver disease: The positive rate of HBsAg showed significant increase if there was a family history of liver disease (p<0.005). The positive rates of Anti-HBs, Anti-HBc, HBeAg and Anti-HBe were increased, but not significantly, in cases with a family history of liver disease. 11. The effect of acupuncture. The positive rate of HBsAg showed a significant increase according to the freguency of acupuncture (0.025 <p <0.05). The positive rate of HBeAg was increased proportionately (0.05 <p <0.1), but the positive rates of Anti-HBs. Anti-HBc and Anti-HBe showed no difference according to the freguency of acupuncture. 12. The positive rate of Anti-HBs was significantly higher in student nurses (48.6%) and graduate nurses (58.0%) than in female university students (27.7%) (p<0.005). The positive rate of Anti-HBc tended to be higher (0.05 <p <0.1). The positive rates of HBsAg. Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc didn’t show any apparent tendency to increase in student and graduate nurses according to their year by year contact with patients.