Hepatitis C During Pregnancy

What You Need to Know

You can have a healthy pregnancy and baby with hepatitis C. Your healthcare team is here to support you.

What Is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects your liver.

(Hepatitis = liver inflammation)

Many people with hepatitis C feel completely healthy during pregnancy. The virus doesn't usually make pregnancy symptoms worse.

How Common Is It?

1-2.5%

of pregnant people in the United States have hepatitis C

You're not alone. Your medical team has experience caring for pregnancies with hepatitis C.

Does It Affect My Pregnancy?

Most people with hepatitis C have healthy pregnancies and deliveries.

Pregnancy complications are rare
You can deliver vaginally or by cesarean
Your delivery method doesn't depend on hepatitis C status

Can My Baby Get Hepatitis C?

There is a small chance the virus can pass to your baby during pregnancy or delivery.

📊

Overall Risk

~6%

94 out of 100 babies will NOT get hepatitis C

🛡️

Important

There is no way to prevent transmission during pregnancy, but the risk is low.

What Affects the Risk?

Factor	Impact on Risk
High viral load	Higher transmission risk
HIV coinfection	Increases risk to ~11%
Delivery method	No clear difference

Your provider will monitor your viral load with blood tests.

What About Treatment?

Hepatitis C medications are not used during pregnancy. They could harm the developing baby.

Good news: Highly effective, well-tolerated treatments are available after delivery. Cure rates exceed 95%.

Can I Breastfeed?

Yes. Breastfeeding is safe and recommended.

Hepatitis C is not transmitted through breast milk
If your nipples are cracked or bleeding, pump and discard milk until they heal
Resume breastfeeding once nipples have healed

Source: ACOG Committee Opinion #669

What Happens After Delivery?

At Birth

Baby receives routine care. No special precautions needed.

Postpartum

You can begin hepatitis C treatment when ready.

Baby Testing

Baby will be tested starting at 2-6 months of age.

Your Baby's Testing

Your baby will need blood tests to check for hepatitis C.

When?

First test: 2-6 months after birth

May need follow-up testing at 18 months

Why Wait?

Your antibodies pass to baby, which can cause false positive results early on.

Your pediatrician will guide you through the testing schedule.

Monitoring During Pregnancy

Your healthcare team will monitor you with:

Regular prenatal visits (same as other pregnancies)
Blood tests to check liver function
Viral load testing
Routine ultrasounds to check baby's growth

Key Takeaways

Most pregnant people with hepatitis C have healthy pregnancies and babies
The chance of passing hepatitis C to your baby is low (~6%)
Breastfeeding is safe and encouraged
Effective treatment is available after delivery
Your baby will need testing starting at 2-6 months

Your Healthcare Team

You are not going through this alone. Your team includes:

Your obstetrician or midwife
Maternal-fetal medicine specialist (if needed)
Infectious disease specialist or hepatologist
Your baby's pediatrician

Ask questions at any time. We're here to support you and your baby.

Questions to Ask Your Provider

What is my current viral load?
How often will I need blood tests?
When can I start treatment after delivery?
Which pediatrician should I see for my baby's testing?
Are there any lifestyle changes I should make?

Looking Forward

With proper care and monitoring, you can expect excellent outcomes for both you and your baby.

This presentation is based on guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM).