Assessment of the effectiveness of PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission) to Children Born from HIV-1 positive Mothers

Abstract

Mother-to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV is one of the biggest challenges of the HIV/AIDS pandemic especially in resource constrained settings. Africa has the highest burden of the disease accounting for about 90% of pediatric HIV infections. Approximately 370,000 children became infected with HIV globally; most of these infections occurred through mother-to-child transmission. PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission) service reduces the risk of this transmission. In the absence of PMTCT, the combined risk of MTCT of HIV in utero and intrapartum is 15–30%, and breast feeding increases the risk to 20–45%. The main objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of PMTCT service in Felege Hiwot Hospital, Bahir Dar, North West Ethiopia. Institution based cross-sectional quantitative and experimental study was conducted in Felege Hiwot Hospital at Bahir Dar from August, 2012 to May, 2013. Non-probability, purposive sampling technique was utilized to conduct the study. All consecutive children born from HIV positive mothers who were on PMTCT at the hospital during the study period were included in the study. Data was analyzed using EPI info and SPSS softwares. From a total of 96 children analyzed, there were six children who were born seropositive from mothers who had been under treatment during their pregnancy. The presence of HIV-1 positive children born from mothers who were under treatment for preventing vertical transmission might indicate that either the development of drug resistance strains or mothers were not taking the drugs as per the description given by physicians. Therefore, series of follow up and monitoring system shall be implemented to combat mother to child transmission of HIV-1.

Keywords: ART, HAART, HIV-1, MTCT, PMTCT, seropositive, transmission

Cite this Article

Nega Berhane, Fantahun Mekonnen. Assessment of the effectiveness of PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission) on Children Born from HIV-1 positive mothers. Research & Reviews: Journal of Microbiology and Virology. 2016; 6(1): 9–16p.