Situation question-Hep C and heroin

livinglosing

We are not finished with our homestudy, but the agency just called with a baby that has been born and asked if we would have interest.  The mother admits to using heroin for the last month of her pregnancy and has tested positive for Hep C.  Of course, I did not expect this call and have yet to find a pediatrician (that was on my agenda for next week when work slows a bi), but does anyone have any information or other for me, please, before I go to Dr. Google (all my books are home that I normally reference to help assuage some concerns in advance).  Hopefully this makes sense and is not a complete ramble.

TIA!

silliestbunny

RE: Hep C-  Did she inform prior to the delivery?  Was the delivery a C-section? 
We were open to Hep C if the doctors involved were notified and took precautions.  With precautions, the transmittal rate is less than 5%... I think it's 2%.  We were definitely willing to assume the risks involved but I also understood HepC and what the ramifications are should the child test positive. 

 

livinglosing

Thank you both.  I felt like a complete failure when it came to questions as I just spoke to them yesterday about scheduling the final interviews and that he was writing the report to help with this interview that his call caught me completely off-guard.  I did not even ask the gender (he may have said, but I don't remember and did not write it down).  I need to create a sheet of questions now if we do not accept this situation so that I am ready in the future and need to call him back.

 

 

thatjessie

Definitly call your ped (or find one) and write up a list of questions. Just so you know my little brother was a heroin baby and is now 19 and a Navy Seal :-) Nothing wrong with him! Good Luck!

come*on*baby

I feel that Hep C exposure is minimal from parent to child. We have had a FD that her BM was Hep C positive, she tested over and over and each time was negative. DSs BM is also Hep C positive. DS2 was checked at birth, 3 months, 6 months and will be checked again next week at 18 months. He has been negative each time, but they still want to double and triple check just in case. Its fairly simple. There will be an infectious disease dr testing them from the beginning after birth. After our first experience, we were open to Hep C, I believe its Hep B that we are not open to for discussion.

GLynn2009

This was DD. DD is not postive for Hep C and she was born at home with no prenatal care. BM has been on and off heroin for over 10 years. DD has withdraws for 1 month. DD is truely as blessing in our family.

So far no problems but we will face them as a family if they arise.

micheller6609

My daughter had the same situation.  Her birth mom used heroin throughout her pregnancy and had no prenatal care.  She is also Hep C positive.  My pediatrician said the chance of my baby having Hep C is less than 5%.  She's perfect though!  Healthy baby girl!