Association between hepatitis B virus replication during pregnancy and perinatal outcomes: a retrospective cohort study

AbstractBackground The effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication during pregnancy on the outcomes of pregnancies remains to be elucidated.Objectives This study aimed to investigate the association between HBV replication and adverse maternal and infant outcomes.Methods We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of 836 pregnant inpatients with hepatitis B surface antigen positivity who delivered at two provincial tertiary grade A hospitals in the Fujian province between June 2016 and October 2020.Results The incidence of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, hypertensive syndrome complicating pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm birth, macrosomia, growth restriction, and vaginal infections did not differ in the HBV replication and non-replication groups (p > 0.05); however, the rates of caesarean section (p = 0.017; OR, 1.423; 95% CI, 1.065–1.902) and neonatal jaundice (p