title: KAP Study on HIV/AIDS Among Antenatal Women Attending Central Referral Hospital of North East India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to determine whether antenatal mothers in Sikkim have adequate knowledge about awareness, attitude, and preventive practices regarding HIV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study using structured questionnaire. 220 Antenatal mothers attending the outpatient department of Central Referral Hospital of Sikkim were taken for the study for a period of 1 year from April 2011 to April 2012. Questionnaire form filled by pregnant women during their first antenatal visit was the source of data for this study. Systematic sampling technique was used where every alternate pregnant women registering for ANC visit were voluntarily recruited into the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2.27 % (5) women had not heard about HIV. 84 % (38) women had the knowledge that HIV was related to STI, while 50 % (110) did not. Television was the best method of increasing the knowledge (48 %). 68 % (150) of the women were aware about mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV during antenatal period. Only 2.66 % (6) women knew that HIV can be transmitted to child through breast milk. 90 % (198) knew that HIV is spread by having unsafe sex, 48 % (106) women knew using condoms would protect against it. 69.4 % (153) women wanted partner testing, and 84 % (185) of women consented that all pregnant women should be tested for HIV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study revealed high levels of knowledge, positive attitude, and preventive practices regarding HIV; however, this population lacked knowledge about MTCT and its prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim 737102 India.
authors.forename: Pesona Grace
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lucksom
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim 737102 India.
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Upadhya
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim 737102 India.
authors.forename: Latha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kharka
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim 737102 India.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim 737102 India.
authors.forename: Nishi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choudhary
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, 5th Mile Tadong, Gangtok, East Sikkim 737102 India.
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yadav
keywords: Antenatal; HIV; Prevention; Services; Transmission