Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
Can a man or woman who has Hepatitis C still have children?
Answer:
Yes, hepatitis C does not prevent a man or woman from having children.
The hepatitis C virus infection does not cause infertility in either sex--it does not affect a woman's ovarian or uterine function, or a man's sperm production or sperm characteristics.
Also, it is rare for a hepatitis C-positive mother to infect her baby. Only 1-5% of babies born to hepatitis C-positive mothers acquire the virus, and it makes no difference whether the newborns are delivered vaginally or by cesarean section. A hepatitis C-positive father can't pass on the virus to an embryo at all.
The most important consideration for couples wanting children when one partner has hepatitis C is the timing of drug treatment. One of the drugs used to treat hepatitis C (ribavirin) can cause severe birth defects in the baby. This is true whether it is the man or woman being treated with ribavirin. If either partner is taking ribavirin, the couple must use two effective forms of birth control to avoid a pregnancy. For example: the man uses a condom, and the woman uses a diaphragm or birth control pills.
A hepatitis C-positive man or woman who wants to have a child can:
Put off treatment until childbearing is complete.
Undergo treatment first, and continue to use birth control for 6 months after the last dose of ribavirin before trying to conceive a child.
In summary, it is completely safe for these couples to have children, as long as they discuss the timing of hepatitis C treatment with their doctor.
Source: Rena K. Fox, MD
Date: February 12, 2007
