Hepatitis C ⁢Treatment Gaps Highlighted in Vulnerable Populations: Children and​ Recently Pregnant Women Lag behind

New ⁣research sheds light on significant disparities in Hepatitis ⁢C (HCV)‌ treatment access, revealing that children and recently pregnant women, particularly those with opioid use disorders, ⁢are less likely‌ to ⁢recieve​ timely and effective care. This gap in treatment is concerning, as effective medications exist to cure HCV, and early ⁤intervention is crucial for⁤ preventing long-term health complications.

Delays in Pediatric Hepatitis C Treatment

Hepatitis C infections among children in the​ United States are‍ on the rise, mirroring the broader increase in HCV cases driven by the opioid crisis. Though, a study published in PEDIATRICS indicates that ⁤children are significantly less likely to receive treatment ​compared ⁤to ⁣adults.

“Parents ⁣might ⁣also delay⁣ because of the difficulty of​ administering a medicine to ‌a young child,” said ⁣Dr.Michelle Curtis, a lead ⁣researcher on the study. ‌”and clinicians may​ delay treatment because some children who have hepatitis C will spontaneously clear it on their own. However, this‍ isn’t always⁣ the case.”

This hesitancy in treatment initiation⁢ for ⁣pediatric patients means that many children are not receiving​ the⁣ life-saving antiviral medications that‌ could cure their infection. The reasons for these delays are multifaceted, involving both parental concerns about medication management ​and clinical uncertainty regarding spontaneous clearance.

Treatment for Recently⁢ Pregnant women Lags

Hepatitis C⁢ infections⁢ have been ⁤increasing in people with opioid use disorders. Within that population, men have been shown to be more likely to receive treatment for hepatitis C​ than women are. To understand why, Curtis,⁣ in collaboration with Dr.​ Kevin Xu, an assistant professor⁣ of psychiatry and co-senior author of the study in obstetrics & Gynecology Open, and their team set out to see if pregnancy might be playing a role in these sex disparities.

Given that people with opioid use disorder are ‌at risk of contracting hepatitis C, the researchers used an administrative claims database and similar epidemiologic methods as in the pediatric study to analyze data⁢ on patients‍ in treatment for opioid use disorder who were also ​confirmed to have hepatitis C. they found that recent pregnancy was strongly associated ⁤with a lower likelihood of receiving treatment‌ for hepatitis C. Recently pregnant patients with hepatitis C were almost 30% less likely to receive antivirals than men ⁢were (31.8% versus 40.6%, respectively), ‍and about 11% less⁣ likely than women who were not recently ⁢pregnant (31.8% versus 35.7%).

Caroline Cary, a third-year medical student at WashU Medicine and the first ‌author on the study, stated that the results suggest that more​ resources are ‍needed to⁤ reach patients⁤ who are likely to slip through the ⁤cracks.

“People with ​hepatitis C are frequently enough asymptomatic for years⁢ after being exposed, so if you are young, or else healthy‍ and have a new ​baby, getting prompt treatment may not be ⁢a top priority, ‌especially if it is indeed challenging to access. It’s imperative to make hepatitis C care more readily accessible to⁤ new moms considering the long-term consequences of the condition.”

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Caroline ‌Cary, third-year medical student at WashU Medicine

For curtis, it’s⁣ a troubling problem as treatments for hepatitis C are ⁤very effective when ‍started early and taken consistently.

“We need to come up with better ⁢strategies for addressing hepatitis C,” she ‍said. “We have all the tools to eliminate it. We have medications that⁣ can treat it. We certainly know the people who need to get it. We just need ​to step up ‍the ⁢availability and the awareness. We could be done ​with⁤ hepatitis C in a generation.”

The findings underscore ⁣the urgent need for targeted interventions‍ and improved healthcare access to ensure that all individuals, irrespective of age or life circumstances, can benefit from effective Hepatitis C treatment.

Source:

Journal reference: Curtis, M.R., et al.(2025). Disparities in ⁤Linkage to Care Among Children With‍ Hepatitis C Virus in the United States. PEDIATRICS. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-068565.