HIV Seroconversion, Assiciation Factors and Risk of Mother to Child Transimission Among Pregnant Women Delivering Bugando Medical Centre Mwanza Tanzania
- Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences CUHAS - Bugando 2013
- xiii; 36 Pages
Abstract:
Background: Testing of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among pregnant women is routinely done during antenatal care (ANC) visit in Tanzania, but retesting is rarely done if negative even after delivery. Since these women are sexually active, they have risk of contracting HIV and expose their unborn babies to HIV infection, a situation which poses a challenge towards prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT). This study intended to find how many pregnant women seroconvert to HIV positive at the time of delivery and to determine factors associated with HIV seroconversion during pregnancy.
Methodology: A Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) from January to March 2013. It involved 400 pregnant women who tested HIV negative during ANC visit. Re-testing of these women was done by using new Tanzania algorithm for HIV testing. Polymerase chain reactions (DNA-PCR) was done to exposed babies at one month of age to show the risk of mother to child transmission. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic and clinical characteristics.
Results: of 400 pregnant women (mean age 26.4±5.73) who tested HIV negative during ANC visit, 21 (5.3%) women became sero-positive to HIV infection after retesting. Women of polygamy marriage (p=0.0001) and history of positive syphilis test at ANC (p=<0.001) were found to be independent predictors of HIV seroconversion among women delivering at BMC. One of 21 babies (4.8%) born from HIV positive mothers was found to be HIV Infected.
Conclusion: There is a high rate of HIV seroconversion (5.3%) among women attending BMC for delivery this implies that HIV re-screening of pregnant women should be an enduring exercise. This will help to reduce the risk of mother to child transmission of HIV.