Telbivudine Prevents Mother-to-Child HBV Transmission

Infants born to mothers with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are at low risk for developing this illness if HBV vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin are administered shortly after birth. However, immunoprophylaxis is less effective if the mother has a high viral load — typically >10⁶ copies/mL. Recent data suggest that lamivudine given during the third trimester of pregnancy significantly reduces vertical transmission of the virus. Now, in a prospective, open-label, case-control trial conducted in China, researchers have evaluated the effectiveness of telbivudine (which is more potent than lamivudine and is pregnancy category B) in HBeAg-positive pregnant women with chronic HBV infection and viral loads >10⁶ copies/mL.

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