title: HIV testing of male partners of pregnant women in Porto Alegre, Brazil: a potential strategy for reduction of HIV seroconversion during pregnancy.
abstract: Pregnant women have a significantly higher risk of HIV acquisition during gestation than their non-pregnant counterparts due to behavioral and biological factors. Acute seroconversion during gestation results in increased HIV mother-to-child transmission rates and has been identified as a major public health challenge. In order to address potential HIV seroconversion in our pregnant patients, we conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate the acceptability of offering HIV testing to sexual partners of HIV-negative pregnant women receiving antenatal care at two hospitals in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Over a 14-month study period, HIV-negative pregnant women at two hospital-based clinic sites were encouraged to bring their stable sexual partner for HIV voluntary counseling and testing during prenatal care. Women were re-interviewed following delivery to measure success of the intervention. Of the 1223 HIV-negative pregnant women enrolled in the study, 663 (54%) of their male sexual partners received HIV testing during antenatal care and 4 (0.6%) were diagnosed with HIV infection. A total of 645 women were interviewed at the time of delivery, with 620 (97%) confirming that HIV testing was suggested to their partner. The most common reason provided by women as to why partners did not come for testing was work (69%) and lack of perceived risk (14%). Independent predictors of successful partner testing included being white (odds ratio [OR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-2.12), married (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.08-2.94), having an older age of sexual debut (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.9-0.98), and being recruited at Hospital Conceiçao (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.52-2.88). We conclude that HIV partner testing during prenatal care is acceptable, rendering this intervention attractive to public health programs targeting prevention of sexually transmitted infections.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease , David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Nava
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yeganeh
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dillavou
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Varella
authors.forename: Breno Riegel
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Marineide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Rosana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lira
authors.forename: Pamina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gorbach
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nielsen-Saines
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D037841:Pregnant People; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D055815:Young Adult