HIV-1 seroprevalence and awareness of mother-to-child transmission issues among women seeking antenatal care in Tamil Nadu, India.
BACKGROUND
Despite increasing availability of HIV-1 testing, education, and methods to prevent transmission, Indian women and their children remain at risk of acquiring HIV. We assessed the seroprevalence and awareness about HIV among pregnant women presenting to a private tertiary care hospital in South India.


METHODS
Seroprevalence was determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing, and questionnaires were analyzed using chi-square statistics and odds ratios to look for factors associated with HIV positivity.


RESULTS
A total of 7956 women who presented for antenatal care were interviewed. Fifty-one women of the 7235 women who underwent HIV testing (0.7%) were found to be HIV positive. Awareness of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV (64%), HIV transmission through breast milk (42%), and prevention of MTCT (13%) was low.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need to educate South Indian women about HIV to give them information and the means to protect themselves and their unborn children from acquiring HIV.
Firth
Jacqueline
J
Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. jacqfirt@gmail.com
Jeyaseelan
L
L
Christina
Sheeba
S
Vonbara
Venisa
V
Jeyaseelan
Visalaksi
V
Elan
Sujitha
S
Abraham
Sulochana
S
Joseph
Inbakumar
I
David
Shoba
S
Cu-Uvin
Susan
S
Lurie
Mark
M
Wanke
Christine
C
Lionel
Jessie
J
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult