Seroprevalence of hepatitis B among pregnant women in southern Turkey

The aim of the present cross sectional seroprevalence study was to determine the frequency of HBV carriers in pregnant women registered at the Gaziantep Maternity Hospital, Turkey. The records of a total of 11,840 pregnant women were examined retrospectively.HBsAg was detected in 252 (2.1%) of 11,840 women. The prevalence of HBV infection in pregnant women in the southern region of Turkey is at an intermediate level. The observed low seroprevalence might be attributed to the lower mean age of the study population compared to the adult population.