FREQUENCY OF ACUTE VIRAL HEPATITIS “E” IN PREGNANT WOMEN PRESENTING TO GYNAE UNITS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL PESHAWAR

Objective: To determine the frequency of hepatitis E virus in pregnant women with acute hepatitis presenting to gynae
& Obs units of LRH, Peshawar.
Methodology: This descriptive study was done in Department of Gynae and Obstetris, PGMI/LRH, Peshawar on 500
pregnant women either multi or primi gravida with yellow discoloration of the sclerae of the eyes and raised Alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) > 100 IU/L on laboratory tests were selected by convenience (non-probability) sampling to
determine the frequency of hepatitis E virus in these pregnant women. Those patients found to be acute presentations
of non-viral chronic liver disease, concomitant other liver diseases for example liver abscess, hydatid or any other cysts
etc. pregnant women with hemolytic anemia, women with acute fatty liver of pregnancy were excluded from the study.
Results: Majority of pregnant women 294 (58.8%) was in the age range of > 30 years.
Laboratory investigations revealed that in majority 427 (85.4%) pregnant women, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was
elevated and serum bilirubin was also raised in majority 430 (86%) patients. Frequency of Hepatitis E (HE-IgM) was
detected in 47.6% pregnant women and cases were having other viruses.
Conclusions: Acute viral hepatitis especially HEV exposure may have a much greater effect on pregnancy and neonatal
outcomes than HAV. So routine viral hepatitis screening in pregnant women may need to be reconsidered at first
antenatal visit.
Key Words: Frequency-acute viral hepatitis, Hepatitis E (HE-IgM), antenatal-diagnosis, screening-pregnant women.