INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CHRONIC VIRAL-HEPATI TIS-C AND PREGNANCY

Objectives and methods. - In France, the positive rate for anti-HCV an tibodies in the sera of pregnant women is usually found to be between 0.7 and 3.9 %. The aim of our prospective study was to determine the i nteractions between pregnancy and chronic viral hepatitis C in 12 preg nant women. Results. - In our study, chronic viral hepatitis C did not influence maternal or neonatal outcome. The mean gestational age was 38.4 +/- 3 weeks. During follow-up, mean serum ALT levels were signifi cantly lower (36 +/- 17 mU/mL) during the last three months of pregnan cy compared to before pregnancy (237 +/- 144 mU/mL, P < 0.002) and aft er pregnancy (141 +/- 62 mU/mL, P < 0.0005). During the third trimeste r, serum ALT levels were normal in 90 % of the women. However, the per sistence of viremia during pregnancy and a rebound in serum ALT during the post-partum period have been noticed. Conclusion. - The normaliza tion of serum ALT levels during pregnancy, the persistence of viremia, and a rebound in serum ALT during post-partum could be related to pre gnancy-induced changes in the immune system.