Screening for Hepatitis B in Pregnant Women in Greece
Author Information
Author(s): Vassiliki Papaevangelou, Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Dimitrios Cassimos, Maria Theodoridou
Primary Institution: University of Athens, Children's' Hospital 'A. Kyriakou'
Hypothesis
Are the national guidelines for the prevention of perinatal HBV infection being followed in Greece?
Conclusion
The prevalence of HBsAg in Greek pregnant women is low, but immigrant women have significantly higher rates and some women still do not get tested.
Supporting Evidence
- Prenatal screening for HBsAg was documented in 91.3% of women.
- The prevalence of HBsAg was 2.89% among tested women.
- Immigrant women had a significantly higher prevalence of HBsAg at 9.8%.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well pregnant women in Greece are being tested for Hepatitis B. It found that while most are tested, some immigrant women are at higher risk and some women still aren't getting tested.
Methodology
The study included all women delivering in Greece during a specific two-week period, with data collected through questionnaires completed by trained health professionals.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of screening rates in non-Greek/non-Albanian women due to language barriers.
Limitations
Some women had no documentation of prenatal or perinatal HBsAg screening, and the study was limited to a short time frame.
Participant Demographics
79.97% Greek, 10.88% Albanian, 2.28% Gipsy, 6.86% other immigrants.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95%CI 2.3–3.4%
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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