Antenatal HIV testing: current problems, future solutions. survey of uptake in one London hospital

• Published in: BMJ Vol. 316; no. 7127; pp. 270 - 271
• Main Authors: Duffy, Teresa A, Wolfe, Charles D A, Varden, Claire, Kennedy, Jane, Chrystie, Ian L, Banatvala, Jangu E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 24.01.1998; British Medical Association; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Group
• Edition: International edition
• Subjects: AIDS serodiagnosis; Clinics; Female; Health Surveys; HIV; HIV infection; HIV infections; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV positive; HIV seropositivity; HIV testing; HIV tests; Hospitals; Hospitals, Public; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; London - epidemiology; Male; Medical screening; Medical tests; Midwifery; Multivariate analysis; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - diagnosis; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology; Prenatal Diagnosis - statistics & numerical data; Public health; Social aspects; Testing; Women; Womens health
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 0959-8146; 1468-5833; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.316.7127.270

Subjects, methods, and results This paper describes uptake of HIV testing among pregnant women between 1991 and 1996 and includes a detailed survey of 789 women, of whom 428 attended antenatal clinics at Guy's Hospital, 310 attended six community clinics, and 51 attended a midwifery group practice between 5 March and 20 December 1996. [...]the Department of Health should strongly support the recommendations of the Intercollegiate Working Party for Enhancing Voluntary Confidential HIV Testing in Pregnancy, and consideration should be given to implementing an opt-out approach to HIV testing, as approved by the working party of the Institute of Medical Ethics in 1990.