Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B virus and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Bosaso general hospital, Puntland, Somalia 2023: A cross-sectional study design

Background: Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a variety of infectious and non-infectious agents, leading to a range of health problems. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause    both acute and chronic liver disease, and the most common virus that can be transmitted from mother to child and other modes of transmission are contact with blood or other body fluids during sexual intercourse, unsafe injections, or exposure to sharp instruments. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence and associated factors of HBV infection among pregnant women attending the Antenatal Clinic at Bosaso General Hospital, Puntland, Somalia, in 2023. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 302 pregnant women who underwent routine ANC at Bosaso General hospital from March 15 to May 15. Study participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. A systematic random sampling technique was used to identify participants. Data entry, editing, and cleanup of the collected data were performed by the principal investigator using EPI data, and data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 20 to examine the association between each independent variable and the outcome variable. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations. Result: A total of 302 respondents participated in the study, with a response rate of 96.8%. The overall prevalence of hepatitis B infection among pregnant women was 6.6% (95% CI = 4.0–9.8). Having a history of dental procedures (AOR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.190–25.68), a history of blood transfusion (AOR = 5.02, 95% CI = 1.088–23.19), a history surgical procedure (AOR = 4.7, 95% CI = 1.014–21.76), or having a family history of HBV infection (AOR = 10.07, 95% CI = (1.27–79.63) were significant predictors of HBV infection among pregnant women. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HBV was intermediate (2–8%) in the study area according to WHO classification. A history of dental procedures, blood transfusion, surgical procedures, and a family history of hepatitis B virus infection were significantly associated with HBV infection. Keywords: Sero-prevalence; Bosaso; hepatitis B virus; pregnant women.