Table 4.

Chronic hepatitis B during the pregnancy and in the foetus

HBV and pregnancy	HBV and foetus
Not increases in maternal morbidity and mortality	Maternal transmission: during delivery, intrauterine transmission and during breast feeding
Increases HBV viremia levels and indices of cytolysis	Discordant results from pre-delivery administration of Ig and anti-HBV vaccine
Development of complications (gestational diabetes, pre-delivery hemorrhages and pre-term delivery)	Administration of Ig and anti-HBV vaccine during delivery to prevent infection
Higher frequency of gestational hypertension, detachment of placenta and peripartum hemorrhages in F with cirrhosis Cases of peripartum hepatitis with hepatic decompensation	Ongoing studies about the use of antiviral medicines in F with high HBV DNA levels to prevent perinataltransmission (telbivudine and tenofovir in FDA pregnancy category B)

HBV: Hepatitis B virus; F: Female; FDA: Food and drug administration.