Prevalence of Hepatitis B Carrier Status and Its Negative Association with Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy

RESULTS: In a total cohort of 87889 deliveries over a period of 20 years, the prevalence rate of HBV fell from around 10-11% to around 6-7% in the last 5 years of the study. A negative association between chronic HBV carrier status and all gestational hypertensive disorders could be demonstrated. An apparent protective effect of HBV carrier status was apparently more robust against preeclampsia than gestational hypertension, as the negative association with preeclampsia was consistently observed throughout the study period. A logistic regression model showed that advanced maternal age, multiple pregnancies, obesity, and significant medical disorders were positively correlated with gestational hypertensive disorders, while multiparity and positive HBV carrier status were negatively correlated. CONCLUSION: Chronic HBV carrier status appeared to have a protective effect against the development of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension in an endemic area with high HBV prevalence rates.