Materno-foetal transmission of hepatitis B in Saudi Arabia.

Carriage of hepatitis B among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia and their new born infants has been studied over a period of three years. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier rate among 5000 women screened antenatally was 2 X 8 per cent. Hepatitis B subtype ayw was found more often than subtype adw. A study of 50 persistent HBsAg carriers and their newborn infants followed serologically over a period of at least two years did not reveal any evidence of materno-foetal transmission either vertically, perinatally or postnatally. Twelve per cent of mothers shown to be carrying hepatitis B 'e' antigen (HBeAg) during pregnancy did not apparently transmit the virus to their newborn infants. Materno-foetal transmission of hepatitis B virus in utero or during the perinatal period does not seem to be important in maintaining the carrier state in Saudi Arabia, horizontal rather than vertical being the main route of transmission of the virus in this country.