Medical disorders in pregnancy: hepatitis C: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Medical disorders in pregnancy: hepatitis C

Sample item

A woman at 20 weeks is found to be anti-HCV positive with detectable HCV RNA. Which statement about her care is correct?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Mode of delivery should be decided on obstetric grounds alone, and antiviral treatment is deferred until after delivery and breastfeeding

Vertical transmission of hepatitis C is uncommon and caesarean section does not reduce it, so the route follows obstetric indications. Direct-acting antivirals are generally postponed until after pregnancy because safety data are limited. Breastfeeding is allowed unless the nipples are cracked and bleeding.

Option by option

  • A. Direct-acting antivirals should be started at once in the second trimester

    Safety of antivirals in pregnancy is not established, so they are deferred.

  • B. Caesarean section is mandatory to prevent transmission

    Caesarean has not been shown to lower transmission.

  • C. Breastfeeding is contraindicated

    Breast milk does not transmit the virus meaningfully.

  • D. Mode of delivery should be decided on obstetric grounds alone, and antiviral treatment is deferred until after delivery and breastfeeding (correct)

    Correct. Obstetric indications decide the route, and treatment follows after delivery.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is D, Mode of delivery should be decided on obstetric grounds alone, and antiviral treatment is deferred until after delivery and breastfeeding. Vertical transmission of hepatitis C is uncommon and caesarean section does not reduce it, so the route follows obstetric indications.

Why is "Direct-acting antivirals should be started at once in the second trim…" not the answer?

Safety of antivirals in pregnancy is not established, so they are deferred.

Why is "Caesarean section is mandatory to prevent transmission" not the answer?

Caesarean has not been shown to lower transmission.

Why is "Breastfeeding is contraindicated" not the answer?

Breast milk does not transmit the virus meaningfully.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical disorders in pregnancy: hepatitis C in OBG. Direct-acting antivirals are generally postponed until after pregnancy because safety data are limited. Breastfeeding is allowed unless the nipples are cracked and bleeding.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Medical disorders in pregnancy: hepatitis C?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.