Perinatal hepatitis C

Perinatal hepatitis C infection concerns infants or children exposed to hepatitis C virus during pregnancy or childbirth ^[1]. This condition requires testing because infection may not be clinically apparent in early life ^[1].

Infection may not be clinically apparent in infancy, making routine serologic and molecular testing critical for early identification ^[1]. Among children with perinatally acquired HCV infection, spontaneous clearance of infection typically occurs in 20%–40% of children by age 5 years ^[1]. Recent prospective analyses indicate clearance rates may reach 65.9% by age 5 years ^[1].

Maternal detectable HCV RNA is a known risk factor for perinatal transmission, establishing a distinct pediatric demographic that requires targeted surveillance ^[1]. Among children with perinatally acquired HCV infection, spontaneous clearance of infection typically occurs in 20%–40% of children by age 5 years ^[1]. Contemporary prospective studies analyzing interval censoring report clearance rates of 65.9% by age 5 years ^[1].

HCV can be transmitted from a pregnant person with viremic infection to an infant around birth ^[1]. Delivery and exposure factors can influence the risk of transmission ^[1].

Hepatitis C testing during pregnancy, appropriate pregnancy and delivery management, and timely testing of perinatally exposed infants support prevention of missed infection and later complications ^[1]. Recommendations address testing of exposed children to identify infection and guide care ^[1].

1. 1US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Recommendations for Hepatitis C Testing Among Perinatally Exposed Infants and Children — United States, 2023 | MMWR [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026.Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/rr/rr7204a1.htm