Patient's question:
I have been married to my husband for many years. He has always wanted a child, but I have had hepatitis B all along and never told him. Now the doctor says I cannot have a child because I have chronic hepatitis B with high viral load. I haven't told him about my current condition either, and I feel very guilty. It makes me deeply regret not being able to have a child.Doctor's answer:
Next-generation hepatitis B virus transmission occurs from the mother to the fetus through the placenta or during delivery through the birth canal. If the mother is not a hepatitis B virus carrier, the newborn will have no chance of contracting the hepatitis B virus. Therefore, if the male partner is an HBsAg-positive hepatitis B patient or a hepatitis B virus carrier, the risk of the next generation contracting hepatitis B is relatively much lower compared to when the mother is a hepatitis B virus carrier. Fetal transmission refers to the virus being contracted during the fetal period, not postnatal transmission. However, the risk of paternal-fetal transmission is very low. It is advisable to have a liver function test and ensure normal liver function before planning a child. If the liver function is abnormal, such as high transaminase levels, treatment is necessary, and do not take Western medicine indiscriminately.