Prevalence and management of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in women.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne pathogen in the United States and is a leading cause of cirrhosis, need for liver transplantation, and liver-related mortality in women. Women should be offered testing if they fall in a high-risk group for exposure. Compared to men, women have higher rates of spontaneous HCV clearance after exposure and slower progression to cirrhosis but are more susceptible to liver damage from comorbid alcohol use. Premenopausal women with HCV should be counseled about the risks of antiviral treatment during pregnancy and the potential for vertical transmission of HCV to their offspring.