Question
I’ve tested positive for anti-HCV, and my doctor advised me not to have children, but I really want to have a child. Can I really not have children?
Answer
Firstly, it’s crucial to understand the modes of transmission of hepatitis C; 1. Sexual contact transmission, which may occur if the skin is broken. 2. Blood transmission. 3. Everyday items, such as razors, that can break the skin may also lead to transmission. 4. Mother-to-child transmission, which can occur through the placenta or during delivery. Your situation involves mother-to-child transmission, with the main risk being perinatal transmission, with an infection rate of up to 10%. It is recommended that your husband receive the hepatitis C vaccine. If you insist on having a child, please note that you should inject hepatitis C virus immunoglobulin within 24 hours after the child’s birth and the hepatitis C vaccine within 48 hours, the sooner the better. These two measures combined can protect the child at a rate of 70%-95%. During breastfeeding, you should also administer the hepatitis C virus immunoglobulin to the child to prevent infection if the vaccine does not induce antibodies in the child.