Management of infants born to mothers with Hepatitis C - National Neonatal Network Guideline: Blood Borne Virus during pregnancy

This guideline has been produced to ensure that all babies born to mothers with Hepatitis C across Scotland are managed and followed up appropriately.

This guideline is aimed at all clinical staff in Scotland who are responsible for the care and management of babies born to mothers with Hepatitis C (HCV).

HCV is recognized as a worldwide public health problem, the global prevalence of chronic HCV infection is estimated to be approaching 3%, with over 170million infected people. Prevalence of HCV in Scotland varies from 0.4 - 0.8%.

HCV is a blood-borne virus discovered that predominantly affects the cells of the liver. This can result in inflammation and significant damage to the liver. It can also affect a number of other areas of the body including the digestive system, the lymphatic system, the immune system and the brain.

Vertical transmission has been reported in 4-8% of pregnancies, but can be as high as 25% if the mother has other co-infections such as HIV.