[HIV infection during pregnancy: the Sentinel Surveillance Project, Brazil, 2002].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the actual coverage of HIV infection detection during pregnancy at national level.


METHODS
The actual coverage of HIV testing during pregnancy was defined as the proportion of women who attended prenatal care visits (at least one visit), ordering HIV testing and knowledge of test result before delivery. The coverage was estimated by sampling procedures based on the 2002 Sentinel Surveillance Study data. Actual coverage Inequalities were assessed by: country regions; population size of the municipality where delivery took place; and mother's schooling.


RESULTS
The actual coverage of HIV testing during pregnancy was 52%. Huge sociogeographic inequalities are seen between the Northeastern (24%) and Southern regions (72%); illiterate mothers (19%) and those with complete basic education (64%); mothers who delivered in small municipalities (36%) and those who delivered in municipalities with more than 500,000 inhabitants (66%). Ministry of Health recommendations were fully followed by only 27% pregnant women.


CONCLUSIONS
The study results show a need for actions aiming at increasing HIV detection coverage during pregnancy, and indicate that HIV/STD programs should be intensified with joint strategies between the National AIDS Program and infant-maternal programs.
Souza Júnior
Paulo Roberto Borges de
PR
Departamento de Informações em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. pborges@cict.fiocruz.br
Szwarcwald
Célia Landmann
CL
Barbosa Júnior
Aristides
A
Carvalho
Marcelo Felga de
MF
Castilho
Euclides Ayres de
EA
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors