Yes. Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted during birth. Infected babies may carry the virus for the rest of their lives but most do well during childhood. Pregnant women are not routinely tested for hepatitis C because they have no greater risk than non-pregnant women. There is no evidence that hepatitis C is passed through breastfeeding. Only about 4 percent of hepatitis C-positive women pass the virus to their infants. All pregnant women should be tested for hepatitis B early in pregnancy. Vaccinating a baby at birth and giving it an immune globin (HBIG) shot can protect it from developing a hepatitis B infection from an infected mother.