SEROPREVALENCE OF HIV, HBV, HCV, AND VD AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN SOMALIA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Abstract
In resource-limited settings, infectious diseases during pregnancy remain a significant public health concern due to their serious impacts on maternal and neonatal health. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pregnant women (n = 5,335), 15-45 years of age, who attended the maternity clinic of a tertiary hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, between 2021 and 2023. Data was obtained from the hospital’s electronic information system on the presence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and venereal disease (VD) as well as sociodemographic characteristics. HBsAg, anti-HCV antibody, anti-HIV antibody, and VD positivity among the subjects was 4.3, 1.1, 0.4, and 0.9%, respectively. Yearly differences in HBsAg, anti-HCV antibody and VD positivity are statistically significant (p-value = 0.002, 0.009 and 0.007, respectively), as well as across all ages (p-value = 0.031, 0.028 and <0.001, respectively). These findings highlight the ongoing burden of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and VD infections among pregnant women in Mogadishu (and possibly the whole country) and emphasize the need for routine antenatal screening. Large-scale screening initiatives and maternal health education programs are crucial for preventing these infections and reducing perinatal transmission.
