Preventing HIV Transmission: Test Mothers, Keep Babies Healthy

(Baonghean)As one of the priority programs of the National Strategy for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control to 2010 and Vision to 2020, the Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Program contributes to limiting the rate of HIV infection increase in general and the rate of HIV transmission from mother to child in particular. With the theme "Towards eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015" in the peak month, Nghe An province has implemented many activities.

According to statistics, 99% of HIV-infected children under 15 years old are due to HIV transmission from mother to child. Therefore, HIV testing for pregnant mothers is very important to have timely measures to prevent HIV infection for children. In our province, pregnant women when coming to facilities such as the Provincial Reproductive Health Center, Do Luong District Medical Center, Thai Hoa Town Medical Center, Obstetrics Department of General Friendship Hospital are all consulted and tested for HIV free of charge. When HIV (+) is detected, they will continue to be consulted, monitored and considered for criteria to have effective treatment measures by treating the mother with anti-HIV ARV drugs or treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission from the 14th week of pregnancy. After giving birth, the mother will be referred to the adult outpatient clinic and the child will be referred to the pediatric outpatient clinic - Nghe An Children's Hospital for further monitoring and treatment.



The Provincial Center for Reproductive Health Care conducts blood tests for pregnant mothers (Photo for illustration purposes only) Photo: Lam Yen

In fact, in recent times, the program to prevent and control mother-to-child HIV transmission with active intervention measures and early preventive treatment has significantly reduced the number of children exposed to HIV from their mothers. Since the beginning of 2012, medical facilities have provided free HIV counseling and testing to 8,966 pregnant women, thereby detecting 6 cases of HIV (+), treating 100% of mothers found to be infected with HIV. The number of pregnant women infected with HIV who have given birth and received treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission is 10 cases, reaching 114.2% of the plan set out in the first 6 months of 2012. The number of children infected with HIV after birth will be transferred to the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic (Nghe An Children's Hospital) for continued monitoring and treatment with ARV drugs. Currently, the clinic is managing and caring for 133 children, of which 60 children were born to HIV-infected mothers transferred from the mother-to-child transmission prevention program. There are 4 cases with HIV (+) results. The rate of children not infected with HIV from mother to child after intervention is 93.3%.

In addition to the support of the LIFE-GAP Project, children coming to the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic, in addition to free support, palliative care, and ARV treatment, also enjoy other support policies such as: PCR testing to diagnose HIV infection early for children from 4 to 6 weeks old; confirmatory testing when children are 18 months old or older and receive milk instead of breast milk until 18 months old; support for travel expenses and food for families of children in difficult circumstances. Children have been supported and monitored physically and mentally, and have better participation in services at the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic.

In addition to early detection and intervention during pregnancy, HIV-infected mothers are also supported with intervention during and after birth. Dr. Pham Thi Thanh Mai - Former Head of the Department of Neonatology (Central Obstetrics Hospital) said: after giving birth, HIV-infected mothers need to strictly adhere to breastfeeding to limit the transmission of HIV to their children during this period. Accordingly, early testing during pregnancy is the best way to control transmission to the child. Early detection has many meanings not only for the mother and the baby. When a mother knows she is infected with HIV, in addition to receiving prenatal care like other mothers, she also receives appropriate care and treatment for HIV/AIDS. Right from the first weeks of pregnancy, the mother will be advised more about nutrition, and will be considered for ARV treatment from the 14th week of pregnancy. In addition, if she is not eligible for ARV treatment, the mother will be given medication to prevent transmission to the baby from the 14th week of pregnancy. This will be very effective in minimizing the amount of virus in the mother and limiting transmission to the baby. The baby will be cared for and treated promptly to help improve health and avoid opportunistic infections.

Evidence of the effectiveness of interventions and treatments to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV has significantly changed attitudes towards pregnancy and childbirth among HIV-infected women compared to the early stages of the pandemic. However, to achieve even greater results, activities to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV need to continue to be widely deployed, in accordance with procedures, and to increase access for pregnant women with HIV, on the basis of gradually reducing and eventually eliminating stigma and discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS patients.

According to statistics, the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child can be up to 35-40%, but if the mother is timely and fully prevented, the risk will be reduced to below 5%. According to the results of key surveillance in 2011 in Nghe An, the rate of HIV infection in pregnant women is 0.375%. On average, each year Nghe An has about 46,200 pregnant women, with this rate there will be about 173 pregnant women infected with HIV. With an average rate of HIV transmission from mother to child of 35%, each year there are 60 children born infected with HIV. Therefore, pregnant women need to be tested for HIV early to receive ARV treatment or prevent HIV transmission from mother to child in time.

Xuan Tien - Khanh Hoan