The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has opened a public consultation on evidence relating to antenatal screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV).
HCV is one of the topics that the committee reviews regularly for evidence relating to population screening.
Evidence maps are typically the first step in the UK NSC process of reviewing evidence. We are asking individuals and organisations to provide feedback on the findings and conclusions of a 2025 evidence map on antenatal screening for HCV
The evidence map was commissioned to review literature on the topic published since the last evidence review in 2018.
The 2025 evidence map concludes that the volume and type of new evidence related to antenatal screening for HCV is currently insufficient to justify more in-depth work in the form of an evidence summary. It recommends that the topic should be reconsidered in 3 years' time, but also recommends commissioning an evidence map to find out if there is an identifiable group of pregnant women at higher risk of transmitting HCV to their babies. If so, this could help inform ongoing discussion on research in this area.
How to respond
To take part in the consultation, download the consultation documents by clicking on the grey ‘View documents’ button on the UK NSC’s Hepatitis C (pregnancy) recommendation page. Then submit your response by clicking on the green ‘Submit comments’ button.
The deadline for responses is 11.59pm BST on Wednesday 3 June 2026.
About hepatitis C
HCV is a blood-borne virus that primarily affects the liver. Some people clear the infection without treatment, but most people develop long-term (chronic) infection and may need treatment. Chronic infection can lead to serious complications including liver cirrhosis, failure and cancer. In pregnancy, HCV can be passed from mother to baby, which is the main source of HCV infection in children in high-income countries.
The latest evidence
The 2025 evidence map identified the following new evidence published since 2018:
- 9 guidelines or recommendations on antenatal screening for HCV, although treatment during pregnancy was widely not recommended outside the context of a clinical trial
- 1 systematic review and 1 single arm trial on the effectiveness of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment during pregnancy, including prevention of vertical transmission (mother to baby)
- 1 systematic review, 1 cohort study and 2 single arm trials on the effectiveness of DAA treatment in children with vertically acquired HCV
While identified studies suggest DAAs may be effective in pregnant women and children, the evidence is limited by small sample sizes and non-comparative study designs. The UK NSC recognises that the evidence base is evolving in relation to the use of DAAs during pregnancy and early childhood; hence the plan to commission an evidence map.
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