ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Most cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV) are transmitted vertically in endemic areas of HBV. The positivity of serum HBeAg/HBV DNA in pregnant women is associated with vaccine failure. Recently, a national program for HBV vaccines free of charge in neonates born to HBsAg-positive pregnant women is being performed. The aim of this study was to investigate the positivity of serological markers of HBV in pregnant women in Jeju, which is an island separated from the Korean peninsula and a promising cohort to evaluate the effect of a prevention program of HBV infection. In addition, we investigated the geographic differences in the prevalence of HBV infection because it has been reported that the prevalence of HBV has been high in this area previously. METHODS: Between January 2001 and December 2002, all women who gave delivery were studied retrospectively. Women between the ages of thirty and forty, who received health screening at the Asan Medical Center health promotion center in Seoul, were analyzed as controls. RESULTS: During the study period, 1,030 pregnant women (30.8 +/- 4.3 years) and 7,270 controls (33.1 +/- 5.0 years) were enrolled. The positivity of HBsAg was high in Jeju compared with that of Seoul (6.4% vs. 4.9%) (P=0.036). The positivity of HBeAg/HBV DNA was 31.8% (21/66) in HBsAg-positive pregnant women. The positivity of anti-HBs was low in Jeju compared with that of Seoul (54.5% vs. 68.8%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The positivity of HBsAg was found to be high in pregnant women in Jeju. Intensive supervision for HBV infection in pregnant women should be given in this area.