title: Status of prevention of parent to child transmission services among HIV-positive mothers from rural South India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tamil Nadu comes under group I high-prevalence state, with <1% prevalence of HIV infection in ante-natal women but above 5% prevalence in high-risk group. One of the ways to control HIV/AIDS in India is through prevention of parent to child transmission (PPTCT), the success of which lies in the utilization of services.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive qualitative study was conducted to explore the status of utilization of PPTCT services by rural HIV-positive mothers, in the Gingee Block of Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu. All the mothers who tested positive between June 2006 and May 2010 were interviewed in-depth using an interview guide.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 21 HIV-positive mothers during this period, 19 of whom gave consent for the study. Thirteen out of 19 mothers (68%) received Nevirapine prophylaxis, while 15 out of 20 infants born to these mothers (75%) received Nevirapine syrup. During the study period, it was found that 61% of the mothers were not compliant to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor access to the ART centers was reflected in majority of the cases (79%). There is a pressing need to improve access to quality PPTCT services especially during the intranatal period.
authors.affiliation: Medical Officer, Sathyamangalam CHC, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Anbarasi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Subramaniyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Sonali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Gautam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Subitha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakshminarayanan
keywords: Adherence; HIV-positive; prevention of parent to child transmission; prophylaxis