XN000022-1995-01-25 — Page 53

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Immunisation against Hepatitis B

Following is a question by Dr the Hon Huang Chen-ya and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs. Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

As there are now methods to prevent the transmission of Hepatitis B and AIDS by pregnant women to their babies, will the Government inform this Council :

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(a)

of the total number of pregnant women admitted to public hospitals who have been carriers of Hepatitis B or AIDS virus over the past three years; and

what measures are being taken by the Hospital Authority to prevent babies from being infected with Hepatitis B and AIDS virus, thus ensuring the health of babies?

Based on epidemiological studies, the overall prevalence rate of Hepatitis B carriers among the population in Hong Kong is about 10%. Since there have been slightly over 45,000 deliveries annually in public hospitals in recent years, it is estimated that approximately 14,000 pregnant women in public hospitals over the past three years would have been carriers of Hepatitis B.

The prevalence rate of HIV infection among pregnant women in Hong Kong is very low. Epidemiological surveys among newly born infants in Hong Kong have not detected any unknown HIV carriers to date. There is in fact only one documented case of transmission of AIDS by a pregnant woman to her baby.