Prevalence and severity of acute viral hepatitis and fulminant hepatitis during pregnancy: a prospective study from north India.

The present study aimed to find out the prevalence and severity of acute viral hepatitis and fulminant hepatitis during pregnancy in North India. The study was conducted on 97 consecutive pregnant patients in third trimester with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) or fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). The patients were evaluated on the basis of history, examination, liver function profile and serological markers for hepatitis A,B,C and E viruses. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) was the causative agent in 47.4% of the cases of viral hepatitis and 52.6% were caused by non-E viruses(HAV-5.2%,HBV-7.2%,HCV-0%,non A-E 47.4%). HEV was responsible for 36.2% of the cases of AVH and 75% of the cases of FHF. The mortality was 24.7% (24/97). All of them had FHF. Eighteen of 24 cases (75%) who expired were HEV positive. The mortality rate was 39.1% in HEV group and 11.7% in non HEV group. Majority of patients (87.5%) who expired had died undelivered. Hepatitis E was the commonest etiological agent in those who had fulminant disease during pregnancy and was associated with high mortality rate.