title: Preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission: the first year of Thailand's national program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Each year in Thailand, about 10,000 children are born at risk for mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. In 2000, Thailand implemented a national program to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the results of implementation of the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Monthly collection of summary data from hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Public health hospitals (n = 822) in all 12 regions of Thailand, representing 75 provinces, excluding Bangkok.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women giving birth from October 2000 through September 2001, including HIV-seropositive women and their neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentages of women giving birth who were tested for HIV, HIV-seropositive women giving birth who received antenatal prophylactic antiretroviral drugs, and HIV-exposed neonates who received prophylactic antiretroviral drugs and infant formula.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 573,655 women (range, 27,344-77,806 by region) giving birth, 554,912 (96.7%) received antenatal care (range, 91.9%-98.8% by region). Of 554,912 women giving birth who had antenatal care, 517,488 (93.3%) were tested for HIV (range, 87.7%-99.4% by region) before giving birth; of 18,743 women giving birth who did not have antenatal care, 13,314 (71.0%) were tested for HIV (range, 21.7%-92.9% by region). Of 6646 HIV-seropositive women giving birth, 4659 (70.1%) received prophylactic antiretroviral drugs before delivery (range, 55.3%-81.2% by region). Of 6475 neonates of HIV-seropositive women, 5741 (88.7%) received prophylactic antiretroviral drugs (range, 67.4%-96.9% by region) and 5386 (83.2%) received infant formula (range, 65.3%-100% by region).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Major program components of Thailand's national program for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission were implemented. Thailand's experience may encourage other developing countries to implement or expand similar national programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Tivanon Road, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pornsinee
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amornwichet
authors.forename: Achara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teeraratkul
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Simonds
authors.forename: Thananda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naiwatanakul
authors.forename: Nartlada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chantharojwong
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Culnane
authors.forename: Jordan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tappero
authors.forename: Siripon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanshana
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents