Decrease in serum ALT and increase in serum HCV RNA during pregnancy in women with chronic hepatitis C

Background/Aims: The natural history of chronic hepatitis C infection durin g pregnancy has not been clearly established, and thus our aim was to asses s serum alanine aminotransferase levels and serum HCV RNA levels during pre gnancy. Methods: Twenty-six pregnant women with chronic hepatitis C were studied. S erum alanine aminotransferase was assessed within the 3 months before, mont hly during and within the 3 months after pregnancy. In 12 women, serum HCV RNA levels were quantified by the branched DNA assay. Twenty-six age-matche d non-pregnant,women with chronic hepatitis C,were followed up for I year, and used as a comparison group. Results: During pregnancy, serum alanine aminotransferase levels decreased in the second and third trimesters. The third trimester levels were signifi cantly lower than serum alanine aminotransferase levels before pregnancy (p = 0,0001), Seventy-seven percent of the pregnant women with increased pre- pregnancy levels had normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase levels , In the second or third trimesters, serum HCV RNA levels increased. The th ird trimester serum HCV RNA levels were significantly higher than levels be fore pregnancy (p = 0,01). No significant change in serum alanine aminotran sferase or HCV RNA levels was observed in the control group. Conclusion: In pregnant,women with chronic hepatitis C, serum alanine amino transferase levels decrease, and serum HCV RNA levels increase during the s econd and third trimesters.