Research Summary: SET-NET

At a glance

  • CDC has funded two research projects to look at the impact of hepatitis C virus infections and associated prevention and treatment strategies on pregnant people and their infants.
  • Both of these projects will extend our understanding of infections during pregnancy, beyond what we can learn from the SET-NET surveillance alone.
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Project: University of Florida and Johns Hopkins University

The University of Florida, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, is conducting a 2-year study:

  • First, this project will assess the impact of the universal screening recommendations for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection during pregnancy. The study will evaluate the frequency of and factors that determine
    • HCV testing among pregnant persons,
    • HCV treatment among HCV-infected persons that was begun within 1 year after the end of pregnancy, and
    • HCV testing of infants born to people infected with HCV during pregnancy.
  • Second, this project will study the safety of doxycycline during pregnancy. Doxycycline is a common antibiotic used to treat various infections. The project will specifically assess
    • The risk of pregnancy loss following exposure to doxycycline, and
    • The risk of birth defects among infants who were born after prenatal exposure to doxycycline.

Project: Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Building on previous formative work, this 1-year project aims to better understand and address barriers to care for HCV infection for pregnant people. To understand barriers and attitudes around HCV treatment during pregnancy, the team will conduct interviews with

  • Currently pregnant patients,
  • Postpartum patients, and
  • Obstetric providers caring for people with hepatitis C

The outcomes of this project will be: 1) a broader understanding of patient and provider attitudes that might improve access to treatment for pregnant patients with HCV, and 2) a telehealth module designed to educate prenatal care providers about HCV infection in pregnancy, transmission of HCV infection to the baby, screening of perinatally exposed infants, and options for treatment of hepatitis C with direct-acting antivirals.

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Content Source:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities