title: Health Outcomes of Infants in a PMTCT Program in Kinshasa.
abstract: Effective follow-up of mother-infant pairs is critical for ensuring the success of preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with health outcomes of exposed infants in a PMTCT program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Data were collected from January 2005 through December 2008 in 2 maternities in Kinshasa, DRC. The exposed infant's health status was used as outcome. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the determinants of infant outcomes. A total of 309 mother-infant pairs were included in this study. Younger maternal age, breast-feeding but weaning before the age of 6 months, and HIV testing of the child and a mother who is not sick were associated with better infant health outcome. The follow-up of mother-infant pairs in PMTCT programs remains critical and challenging. There is a need for innovative and efficient strategies to improve retention of mother-infant pairs in PMTCT programs.
authors.affiliation: Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo jditekemena@pedaids.org.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ditekemena
authors.affiliation: Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matendo
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Koole
authors.affiliation: Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bielen
authors.affiliation: Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nkuna
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Engmann
authors.affiliation: Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tshefu
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ryder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: HIV; exposed infant; prevention; retention