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Treatment of Hepatitis C during Pregnancy-Weighing the Risks and Benefits in Contrast to HIV

  • Co-infections and Comorbidity (S Naggie, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Increasing hepatitis C virus (HCV) cases over the past decade have raised concerns about subsequent increased cases in infants due to mother to child transmission (MTCT). Many are reminded of the early days of HIV and the rationale for using antiretroviral agents during pregnancy.

Recent Findings

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that are highly potent, all-oral, short-duration regimens that cure HCV have led many to consider what it would entail to use DAAs for pregnant women. Considering HIV and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) as two infections with MTCT to draw lessons from, DAA use to interrupt HCV MTCT comes with risks, costs, and many potential benefits.

Summary

When considering how to effectively curb the current epidemic of HCV in the US population, using DAAs to treat pregnant women with HCV offers potential benefits to the mother immediately, to the pair in the short-term and to the child, family, and society over a lifetime.

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Abbreviations

HCV:

Hepatitis C

MTCT:

Mother to children transmission

DAAs:

Directly acting antivirals

SVR:

Sustained virologic response

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    A. Sidney Barritt IV

  2. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7231, USA

    Ravi Jhaveri

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Correspondence to Ravi Jhaveri.

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A. Sidney Barritt IV declares no conflict of interest. Ravi Jhaveri received a grant from Merck and has participated in clinical trials with Gilead and Abbvie.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Co-infections and Comorbidity

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Barritt, A.S., Jhaveri, R. Treatment of Hepatitis C during Pregnancy-Weighing the Risks and Benefits in Contrast to HIV. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 15, 155–161 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-018-0386-z

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