You’ve done your hemoglobin, thyroid, sugar, and vitamin D tests. But has your doctor spoken to you about Hepatitis B?
Many women go through pregnancy without ever hearing about it. And yet, Hepatitis B is one of the few infections that can silently pass from mother to baby at birth unless it’s detected early.
At Flowrence, we insist on checking this in the first trimester itself. Not because we expect bad new but because when it’s caught early, it’s entirely manageable.
What exactly is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver. It spreads through blood and body fluids, often without any visible symptoms. A person can carry the virus for years without knowing and unknowingly pass it on to their child during delivery.
India has one of the highest numbers of Hepatitis B carriers in the world and many are undiagnosed. Pregnancy is one of the best windows to catch it and protect two lives instead of one.
Why is this test important during pregnancy?
If a mother is positive for Hepatitis B, the risk of passing it to her baby during delivery is very high up to 90% if left untreated.
But here’s the good news, if we know early, we can give the baby a vaccine + immunoglobulin injection within 12 hours of birth, which prevents transmission in almost all cases. It’s one of the few times in medicine where a simple step completely changes the outcome.
Who needs this test?
- Every pregnant woman.
- Whether you’ve had no symptoms or no known exposure.
- Even if you feel completely healthy.
At our gynec hospital in Rajkot, we include Hepatitis B screening (HBsAg test) in the first round of prenatal blood tests the same day we check your blood group and sugar.
What happens if the test is positive?
Don’t panic. Here’s the standard approach:
- We confirm the result with a follow-up test
- A liver function test is done to assess the severity
- You’ll be referred to a doctor in Rajkot who specialises in infectious diseases or hepatology
- You may or may not need medication, depending on your liver health
- At delivery, the paediatric team ensures timely vaccination of the baby. With the right protocol, your baby can be born healthy and infection-free.
What you can do now
- Ask your OB if your Hepatitis B test was included in your pregnancy screening
- If not, request the HBsAg test it’s a basic but crucial blood test
- Don’t avoid the test out of fear this is a virus that can be managed when known
At our women's care hospital in Rajkot, we don’t just focus on delivery we focus on what your baby inherits from the very first moment.
Final word
One test. That’s all it takes to turn an invisible risk into a planned, safe outcome.
You owe it to yourself and your baby to know. Because when it comes to birth, not knowing is the only danger.
Flowrence Hospital The trusted women care hospital in Rajkot for complete antenatal care, from the first test to the first cry.
Ask. Check. Protect. We’ll guide the rest.
