Elective Caesarean Section vs Vaginal Delivery to Prevent Hepatitis B Transmission
Author Information
Author(s): Yang Jin, Zeng Xue-mei, Men Ya-lin, Zhao Lian-san
Primary Institution: Center of Infectious Diseases, National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy for Human Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University
Hypothesis
Does elective caesarean section reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus compared to vaginal delivery?
Conclusion
Elective caesarean section is effective in preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus.
Supporting Evidence
- Four randomized trials involving 789 people were included in the review.
- ECS reduced the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HBV to 10.5% compared to 28.0% for vaginal delivery.
- The difference in transmission rates between ECS and vaginal delivery was statistically significant.
Takeaway
Having a caesarean section instead of a vaginal delivery can help stop mothers from passing hepatitis B to their babies.
Methodology
Systematic review of randomized controlled trials comparing elective caesarean section and vaginal delivery.
Potential Biases
High risk of selection and performance bias due to inadequate randomization and no blinding.
Limitations
High risk of bias in included studies due to lack of allocation concealment and blinding.
Participant Demographics
All participants were HBV-infected pregnant women with HBV DNA-positive.
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.000001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.28 to 0.60
Statistical Significance
p<0.000001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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