Optimization of Mother-to-Child Hepatitis B Virus Prevention Program: Integration of Maternal Screening and Infant Post-vaccination Serologic Testing.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of the impact on mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of a HBV-prevention program that incorporates maternal antiviral prophylaxis is hindered by the limited availability of real-world data.

METHODS: This study analyzed data on maternal HBV screening, neonatal immunization, and post-vaccination serologic testing (PVST) for HBsAg among at-risk infants born to HBV carrier mothers from the National Immunization Information System during 01/01/2008-31/12/2022. Through linkage with the National Health Insurance Database, information of maternal antiviral therapy was obtained. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore MTCT risk in relation to infant-mother characteristics and prevention strategies.

RESULTS: Totally, 2,460,218 deliveries with maternal HBV status were screened. Between 2008 and 2022, the annual HBsAg and HBeAg seropositivity rates among native pregnant women aged 15-49 years decreased from 12.2% to 2.6% and from 2.7% to 0.4%, respectively (p for both trends < 0.0001). Among the 22,859 at-risk infants undergoing PVST, the MTCT rates differed between infants born to HBsAg-positive/HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive mothers (0.75% and 6.33%, respectively; p < 0.001). The MTCT rate was 1.72% (11/641) for infants born to HBeAg-positive mothers with antiviral prophylaxis. MTCT risk increased with maternal HBeAg-positivity (OR 9.29, 6.79-12.73) and decreased with maternal antiviral prophylaxis (OR 0.28, 0.16-0.49). For infants with maternal HBeAg-positivity, MTCT risk was associated with mothers born in the immunization era (OR 1.40, 1.17-1.67).

CONCLUSIONS: MTCT was related to maternal HBeAg-positivity and effectively prevented by maternal prophylaxis in the immunized population. At-risk infants born to maternal vaccinated cohorts might possibly pose further risk.