Dr. Please answer this. My daughter is 28 weeks pregnant. Her boyfriend has Hep C. She had unprotected sex with him in June. She was tested in July. It was negative. She still thinks she may have Hep C. She has been in the emergency room for Anxiety over this worry. She was prescribed anti-Anxiety meds for this worry, but stopped taking them after 2 weeks. She is now worried that will harm the baby. I cannot convince her that she is o.k. What is the exposure window for Hep C. I am at my wits end. Please help.

It sounds like she should have an appointment with her OB/GYN doctor for further counseling.

Hepatitis C is very uncommonly transmitted by sex - about 1 to 2 percent chance of transmission among stable couples over time. From one exposure, the chance would be exceedingly low.

If she is that concerned, she could discuss HCV RNA testing with her physician, which becomes positive before an antibody test. By 12 weeks, the vast majority of people who have contracted HCV have a positive antibody test.