Factors influencing HIV seroprevalence rate among pregnant women in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence among pregnant women in Calabar was studied. The aims were to establish HIV seroprevalence rate and to identify factors which influence this rate in our pregnant women. HIV seroprevalence rate of 2.7% among antenatal women in Calabar was recorded with a vertical transmission rate of 20%. Husband and wife not living together, history of induced abortion and blood transfusion significantly increase HIV seroprevalence rate among antenatal women in our community (P = 0.02 - 0.04). Marital status and age seemed to increase while social class and previous pregnancy outcome did not influence the HIV seroprevalence rate in these women. The importance of screening as a necessary step towards prevention of vertical transmission should be emphasised during our antenatal health talks. Pregnant women with history of induced abortion, those who are not living together with their husbands and those with history of blood transfusion should have a one-to-one person education on this issue. Any cause that would separate wives from their husbands should be discouraged. Family planning as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancy should be encouraged and transfusion of unscreened blood should be banned in all health facilities in Nigeria.


KEY WORDS: HIV Seroprevalence; Factors, Pregnant Women; Vertical, Transmission


Global Jnl Medical Sciences Vol.2(2) 2003: 91-95