PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B VIRUSE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS FOR HEPATITIS B VIRUS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN WOLAITA SODDO UNIVERSITY TEACHING REFERAL HOSPITAL, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

<strong>ABSTRACT</strong>: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a highly contagious virus occurs worldwide and constitutes a serious public health problem. It is predominantly a problem in resource-limited countries and its prevalence varies markedly in different geographic areas of the world, as well as in different population sub group. However, researches made on the prevalence of HBV in the health institutions of Ethiopia were limited. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of HBV infection and associated risk factors of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women at Woliata Soddo Teaching and Referral Hospital ANC. A cross sectional study was conducted from February to May 2020 among pregnant women attending at selected Woliata Soddo Teaching and referral hospital ANC. A total of 252 pregnant women were included in the study. Volunteer participants were asked to complete a questionnaire, and offered testing for HBsAg infection. After obtaining written and informed consent, blood sample was collected from 252 pregnant women using consecutive non- duplicative sampling method. Serum was separated from whole blood and tested for HBsAg using rapid test cassette. Data was collected using pre-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi-square and odds ratios were used to determine association between dependent and independent variables. The result was considered statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05. In this study, 252 pregnant women were participated, the overall prevalence of sero positive HBsAg among pregnant women was 19(7.5%). None of the studied risk factors had significant association with HBV infection. There was no statistically significant association between history of blood transfusion, multiple sexual practices, hospital admission, genital mutilation, surgical procedure, body tattooing history of previous birth delivery and HBV infection. The highest prevalence of HBV infection was detected as compared to the previous studies in different region of Ethiopia. So that regular screening and vaccination of HBV provided for pregnant women for free or at affordable prices for mothers, infants and other health professional and intensified prevention targeting this group may reduce the prevalence and mother to child transmission of HBV infection. Also initiating and mobilizing the society to fight against HBV were recommended.