Antenatal HIV testing: evaluation of uptake and women's attitudes in a low risk population.
The number of HIV-positive heterosexuals in the UK is increasing, with a resultant increase in the number of pregnant women who are HIV-positive. The benefits of diagnosing an HIV-positive woman antenatally are well established. The Department of Health of England issued guidelines recommending named voluntary antenatal testing, with a view to achieving a maternal diagnosis rate of 90% by December 2002. In Northern Ireland the policy was distributed in 2003. The screening programme in our hospital had an uptake rate of 98.7 %. Responses to a questionnaire to evaluate the process indicate that HIV testing was associated with low levels of anxiety and that patients were well satisfied with the counselling they received.
McCracken
G
G
The Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Belfast BT16 1RH.
McGeagh
J
J
Roberts
R
R
D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*