[The seroprevalence of HIV in pregnant women in New Caledonia: an assessment of 1 year of surveillance].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the HIV prevalence among pregnant women in New-Caledonia and to analyse the uptake of testing among the patients according to their demographic data.


METHODS
The study was based on statistical exploitation of anonymously recorded HIV test results during the follow-up of pregnant women. The first 12-month assessment of this monitoring (April 1999--March 2000) is reported.


RESULTS
88.6% of the 3380 patients were tested for HIV, significantly less in Wallisian and Melanesian groups of women. Two results were positive, which corresponds to a prevalence of 0.66 +/- 0.45 per thousand (0.21-1.11 per 1000) within the studied group. Although our study is not representative of this situation, lack of testing for women undergoing an abortion was frequent.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that offering HIV testing in pregnancy follow-up is fairly systematic and most often accepted. Evidently, there is a need for adjusting of pre-test counselling to the cultural and ethnic characteristics of the woman, to the preparedness of medical staff as well as to the problem of HIV screening in abortion management. Our prevalence data also show that New-Caledonia ranks among countries of low endemicity for HIV where pregnant women are concerned.
Berlioz-Arthaud
A
A
Institut Pasteur, Rue Paul Doumer, BP 61, 98845 Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie. aberlioz@pasteur.nc
Baumann
F
F
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003376:Counseling; D003469:Culture; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006801:Humans; D008542:Melanesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009510:New Caledonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011114:Polynesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013223:Statistics as Topic