Rashida Sultana
Shamsa Humayun

Abstract

Objective: To determine fetomaternal outcome in pregnant women with acute hepatitis A and E
Study Design: Descriptive study
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore from 15th July 2012 to 15th March 2013.
Methodology: Serum samples of all patients who presented with jaundice in pregnancy were col-lected to detect Hepatitis A and E IgM antibodies. Data was collected from twenty nine patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis was done using software SPSS version 14.
Results: The viral serology for hepatitis revealed that 83% patients had acute hepatitis E, 14% had acute hepatitis A and 3% had co- infection with acute hepatitis E and A both. In 52% cases patients were resident of Ichra, Sanda and Gulshan Ravi. Their mean age was 25 years. Mean gravidity was 2 and 41% patients were primigravida. Majority (93%) of patients presented in third trimester and in 7% pregnancy ended in second trimester missed miscarriage. Mean gestational age was 32 weeks and most of the babies (78%) were preterm. Perinatal mortality was 22% con-tributed by intra uterine death in 50% and early neonatal death in 50%. Mode of delivery was vag-inal in 74% cases and caesarean section in 26%. Maternal Mortality was 17%, all in patients with acute hepatitis E infection. Cause of death was fulminant hepatic failure in 100% cases. Most (80%) of maternal mortalities occurred in postpartum period.
Conclusion: Hepatitis E is a major cause of acute hepatitis in pregnancy with adverse fetomater-nal outcome.
Key words: Hepatitis A and E, acute hepatitis, pregnancy.