Hi,
I have been thinking, I read there are different stages of chronic hepb infection, one of the stages is when the viral load is low, so if a chronic hepb woman gets pregnant during this stage, could she get baby without the baby getting infected ? High viral load is certainly the baby will get infected. Ok but then if she breast feeds with low viral load milk the baby gets infected, facepalm.
Br,
Dear @HepB1,
Yes, lower viral loads will lower the risk of the baby getting infected during the birth. However, breast feeding is a negligible risk for transmission. The current recommendation is that mothers with HBsAg should breast-feed even in the absence of infant vaccination because the transmission risk is so low.
Thomas
Please ensure your baby starts with a birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine as soon after birth as possible but within 24 hours. According to some guidelines, HBIG is recommended at birth as well. Complete the vaccine series according to schedule, or as part of a combination vaccine schedule such as the pentavalent vaccine.