Efficacy of peripartum antiviral treatment for hepatic failure due to hepatitis B virus.

Abstract Objective To investigate the efficacy of oral nucleosides in preventing hepatic failure during pregnancy (HFP) caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Methods Besides receiving standard treatment, 70 women with HFP caused by HBV infection joined a study group (n = 40) or a control group (n = 30) according to their preference. In the study group, 14 women were given lamivudine in the third trimester and an antiviral treatment was continued postpartum. The 26 remaining patients were treated postpartum only, with lamivudine (n = 16) or entecavir (n = 10). Results In the study group, the values for serum HBV DNA and hepatitis B envelope antigen were markedly lower at 1 and 2 months than they were at baseline ( P P P P Conclusion Treatment with nucleosides suppressed the replication of HBV DNA and led to biochemical improvement. It also reduced maternal mortality and safely decreased mother-to-child HBV transmission.