Hi Caraline! Congrats on being a grandmother!!
Thank you for your kind words!
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Ok thanks for your response
Dear Caraline ,
Thanks a lot thanku ful so much for your response, literally I’m dying these days,di you know in my 27 weeks doctor told me you have to make far distance from your children even with your new born,even tho you are the babies mom you should act like neighbour and should not be in close contact to him avoid him as much as possible… 
,with that doctor words I was already dead at that movement because have to treat my children as neighbour children even with new little born kids who needs mother most and no one to help me ,I have to undergo c-section but no help with baby but have to make distance with baby also recently heard about this anti body test all these are killing me along with financial issues,your words made me cry with little lite feeling thanks a lot thanks a lot if I was not a part of this group without information and the words my doctor told all these would have made me took some foolish decision in live, thank you so much
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Dear Caraline,
Can you please tell at which viral load you started taking medication after 5 years when you stopped your medicine do you got hbsag negative in reports?? Did your HBV DNA became zero,how regularly you took tests these years? If you tell all these it helps me a lot, because doctors here don’t have more information about this hbsag so that they are not giving correct information
Oh you poor mother.
What the doctor has told you isn’t true. I don’t understand why he has said this.
I feel so sad for you.
Can we please have some facts here and helpful advice for this mother who is suffering.
@ThomasTu @Bansah1
I don’t know who else to tag. Can you guys please help?
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I will not stop taking medication. My opinion is it’s too much of a risk. The medicine is not having any bad effects on me. I would rather take it then become a guinea pig for some specialist who decides that you can stop the medication without any facts because there hasn’t been enough time in history to have the facts.
I’m sorry you don’t have a doctor that can give you the right information.
I wish I Could find you the right information in your country. I do not know anyone in India.
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Hi @Harini,
There is no known evidence that being around your baby is going to expose him or her. That is inaccurate advice from your doctor. Hepatitis B is not transmitted casually. Please, feel free to touch and hold your baby. Breastfeeding is allowed and always recommended.
As stated earlier, testing for surface antibody is not mandated. One test showing the presence of antibodies is effective for many years. This is not a test that you are required to get annually. You decide how often you want your family to undergo this test. You don’t need to worry a lot about this test, especially if they have a result showing they have antibodies already.
You don’t have to be a neighbor in your house; that is not good advice. Enjoy your house, share the love, hug them, hold them, breastfeed your baby, and as we always do, just be careful. Best, Bansah1
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Dear @Harini,
I agree with all the points provided by @Caraline and @Bansah1.
Here are some additional resources from the Hepatitis B Foundation that backs up the points made and addresses some of the issues you have mentioned:
- Hepatitis B Foundation: Breastfeeding with Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis B Foundation: Protect Your Loved Ones
Hope this helps,
Thomas
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Hi ThomasTU,
My baby is 1 week old now I’m not on medication as my doctor suggested to take medication from 28 th week upto delivery and asked me to stop medication after delivery,as my all reports are good but viral load is 7400, now I’m not on medication still breastfeeding my baby ,my baby had birth dose of vaccine and immunoglobulin as well,I heard breastfeeding can’t transmit virus but I don’t have clarity about it as I stopped using medicine I don’t know wheather breastfeeding is to be done r not please please please help me should I continue r stop breastfeeding r should I start taking medicine again my doctor said after 6 weeks of delivery I have to go and have some tests to know any flareups happening
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Yes, it is still recommended for mothers with HBV to breastfeed. The only word of caution that I would give you is that you might want to avoid nursing if you have cracked/bleeding nipples. If this happens, you can still pump milk and dispose of it to maintain your supply, and then resume breastfeeding when your nipples have healed.
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Hi @Harini,
As mentioned in the articles I linked to, breastfeeding is recommended, even in mothers not on treatment. This is because the risk of transmission is so low (particularly as you have a low viral load).
Hope this helps,
Thomas
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Hi@Thomas u,
You said the rate of transmission is less through breastmilk is less in my case as load is 7400, but in the same load case my doctor suggested to take antivirals to avoid transmission,I’m very much confused and worried what if some wrong done by me effect baby.so, continuously asking about this
Hi @Harini,
Great question. When you are pregnant, as you are aware, the mother shares more directly with the baby through the placenta, including nutrients and oxygen through the mother’s blood to the child. Then, during delivery, there is a blood and bodily fluid exchange as well. Among HBsAg-positive pregnant women, this increases the risks of transmission to the unborn child. That is why pregnant women are recommended to go on treatment until after delivery to reduce the risk of passing the virus on to the baby.
There are chances to have a small amount of blood in breastmilk. This is nothing close to what I describe above during pregnancy. The risk is higher in pregnancy than in breastmilk. Not enough blood in the breastmilk. My take on your question, and I hope it is helpful. Bansah1
Bansah1,
Thanks for your response but as Thomas as my load is less so no transmission through breastmilk,that means if load is more than transmission is there right? I’m very much confused but ultimately I want to protect my baby so asking and stressing about this point
I understand you are frustrated, confused, and concerned but this should not affect you due to the fact that your baby is vaccinated. Even if we assume that the virus is in your breastmilk, the birth dose vaccine will still protect your baby.
Yes, a higher viral load ( in the hundred of thousands and millions)can increase risk of transmission, but I am unsure the breastfeeding scenario will be a mode of transmission. I have not heard or seen anyone that got hepatitis B through breastfeeding. The majority of HBV mothers have gone through this same process with no issues. A few have already shared their experiences to show that you are on the right track. You are doing the right thing. Best, Bansah1.
I have seen mom’s posting that they are on anti virals and fed baby,but have not seen any post that mothers who are not on antivirals fed their baby so asking, thanks your response and thanks a lot you are always to reply everyone who are stressed about their life situations and you with your words easing their stress Thanks a lot
Sure, no problem at all. The recommendation is to start antiviral at 28 weeks and stop after delivery. But some mothers decide with their doctors that they want to continue their treatment beyond delivery. Which is the patients preference and must be respected.
Also the recommendation is for mothers to breastfeed their babies whether they stop or continue with their treatment. It doesn’t separate the 2 situations and I am not aware of any restrictions or limitations on breastfeeding in those instances.
I hope that with your child being vaccinated will help reduce some of the stress and concern. We try to support each other as much as we can.
Best, Bansah1
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