Aa
pregnancy
hey everybody. I was wondering if anyone feels like telling me about their experance with pregnancy and child-birth with hep-c. is the baby positive? what's the gig with breast feading? do you (the mother) get worse symptoms? does it progress the illness? what's the real deal? MayMay
I must have had Hep C for over 25 years without knowing it. I have five children which were all born healthy and I breastfed. After I found out that I had hep c in March this year, I had all of them tested. One of my twins tested positive for antibodies, but fortunately she does not have hepatitis C.
What I would like to say is, that she could have NOT cleared it. We must not forget that there IS the 6 % possibility (4% for boys, 8% for girls) that the baby might get Hep C. I would personally not belittle that fact. It's kind of a gamble and I would personally not plan a pregnancy and put my child at risk to be born with the silent killer. I would treat first and become pregnant afterward.
Just my opinion.
Marcia
What I would like to say is, that she could have NOT cleared it. We must not forget that there IS the 6 % possibility (4% for boys, 8% for girls) that the baby might get Hep C. I would personally not belittle that fact. It's kind of a gamble and I would personally not plan a pregnancy and put my child at risk to be born with the silent killer. I would treat first and become pregnant afterward.
Just my opinion.
Marcia
My experience is an exception to all the heady scientific information that hippygem has provided. I transmitted hep C to 2 out of 4 of my children. Knowing what I know now I would not have gotten pregnant.
lisa
lisa
Pregnancy
Hepatitis C does not reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant.
The risk of hepatitis C transmission from mother to child is low, about 6%. Hepatitis C is more likely to be transmitted during birth than while the baby is inside the mother.
Women with low levels of the virus in their blood are unlikely to transmit hepatitis C to their baby. Women with high levels of the virus, those with serious liver damage or those in the acute phase of infection, have a higher risk of transmitting hepatitis C to their baby.
A baby born to a mother with hepatitis C will inherit the mother’s antibodies and test antibody positive until the child is about 15–18 months of age. In most cases, the child’s hepatitis C antibodies naturally disappear after 18 months. Therefore, testing a baby for hepatitis C is not recommended until the baby is older than 2 years. In saying this though, infection can be detected by PCR testing as early as 2–3 weeks. So, if parents are concerned they can ask for this to be done after 4–6 weeks, with follow-up testing if negative. For more information on antibody and PCR testing visit the Know your tests page.
Pregnancy is also not considered to cause deterioration of liver disease in women who have hepatitis C.
Women with hepatitis C on treatment (pegylated interferon and ribavirin) are required to use two forms of contraception (one for each partner) to ensure they do not become pregnant during their treatment, and for six months following the end of treatment. This is because pegylated interferon and especially ribavirin can cause birth defects.
Breastfeeding
There are no confirmed reports of hepatitis C transmission from mother-to-baby by breast milk. Current scientific opinion remains that there is no significant evidence of HCV transmission through breast-feeding. Scientists have found traces of the virus in breast milk and colostrum (the breast fluid produced by the mother in the first few days of breastfeeding) but not enough to transmit hepatitis C. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists currently recommends that breastfeeding should not be discouraged, as no cases of hepatitis C transmission have been documented by this route.
Damage to the breast such as cracked nipples could pose a possible risk to the baby if blood-to-blood contact occurs through small tears or scratches in or around the baby’s mouth. It is recommended that women with hepatitis C who are breastfeeding should express and discard their breast milk while their nipples are cracked. Treat cracked nipples so they do not bleed and seek help from a breastfeeding counsellor or nurse lactation consultant to discuss ways of preventing cracked nipples.
Breast milk supplies a balanced food supply for the baby, as well as protecting the baby from many illnesses especially in the first weeks, however, the final decision whether to breastfeed is entirely up to the mother.
Hepatitis C does not reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant.
The risk of hepatitis C transmission from mother to child is low, about 6%. Hepatitis C is more likely to be transmitted during birth than while the baby is inside the mother.
Women with low levels of the virus in their blood are unlikely to transmit hepatitis C to their baby. Women with high levels of the virus, those with serious liver damage or those in the acute phase of infection, have a higher risk of transmitting hepatitis C to their baby.
A baby born to a mother with hepatitis C will inherit the mother’s antibodies and test antibody positive until the child is about 15–18 months of age. In most cases, the child’s hepatitis C antibodies naturally disappear after 18 months. Therefore, testing a baby for hepatitis C is not recommended until the baby is older than 2 years. In saying this though, infection can be detected by PCR testing as early as 2–3 weeks. So, if parents are concerned they can ask for this to be done after 4–6 weeks, with follow-up testing if negative. For more information on antibody and PCR testing visit the Know your tests page.
Pregnancy is also not considered to cause deterioration of liver disease in women who have hepatitis C.
Women with hepatitis C on treatment (pegylated interferon and ribavirin) are required to use two forms of contraception (one for each partner) to ensure they do not become pregnant during their treatment, and for six months following the end of treatment. This is because pegylated interferon and especially ribavirin can cause birth defects.
Breastfeeding
There are no confirmed reports of hepatitis C transmission from mother-to-baby by breast milk. Current scientific opinion remains that there is no significant evidence of HCV transmission through breast-feeding. Scientists have found traces of the virus in breast milk and colostrum (the breast fluid produced by the mother in the first few days of breastfeeding) but not enough to transmit hepatitis C. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists currently recommends that breastfeeding should not be discouraged, as no cases of hepatitis C transmission have been documented by this route.
Damage to the breast such as cracked nipples could pose a possible risk to the baby if blood-to-blood contact occurs through small tears or scratches in or around the baby’s mouth. It is recommended that women with hepatitis C who are breastfeeding should express and discard their breast milk while their nipples are cracked. Treat cracked nipples so they do not bleed and seek help from a breastfeeding counsellor or nurse lactation consultant to discuss ways of preventing cracked nipples.
Breast milk supplies a balanced food supply for the baby, as well as protecting the baby from many illnesses especially in the first weeks, however, the final decision whether to breastfeed is entirely up to the mother.
I had a natural birth and i breast fed my two yr old. 6% of babies contract hep c through child birth.You won't be able to find out if she has hepc until 18 months as she will still have your antibodies. Breastfeeding is regarded as safe.
I have probably had HCV for over 25 years and I have 12 year old twins. I had my children at Stanford and after many consultations the Infectious Control expert said it was OK to breast feed. Now looking back at it there were times when there was some bleeding involved in nursing twins but my kids are fine. As long as you are not TXing it should be OK to get pregnant. Of course always check with your MD
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