Feasibility of voluntary counselling and testing services for HIV among pregnant women presenting in labour in Pune, India

• Published in: International journal of STD & AIDS Vol. 16; no. 8; pp. 553 - 555
• Main Authors: BHARUCHA, K. E, SASTRY, J, SHROTRI, A, SUTAR, S, JOSHI, A, BHORE, A. V, PHADKE, M. A, BOLLINGER, R. C, SHANKAR, A. V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2005; Royal Society of Medicine Press; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; AIDS/HIV; Attitude to Health; Biological and medical sciences; Counseling; Delivery. Postpartum. Lactation; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Feasibility Studies; Female; General aspects; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; India; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control; Infectious diseases; Labor, Obstetric; Mass Screening - methods; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Pregnancy; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Asia; India; TRANSMISSION; HIV SCREENING; RAPID HIV TESTING; LABOUR AND DELIVERY; MOTHER-TO-INFANT; VCT; Human; Immunopathology; rapid HIV testing; AIDS; Medical screening; Maternal diseases; Immune deficiency; Infection; Pregnancy; HIV screening; Sexually transmitted disease; mother-to-infant transmission; Viral disease; Female; Vertical transmission; Feasibility; Delivery; Woman; labour and delivery
• ISSN: 0956-4624; 1758-1052
• DOI: 10.1258/0956462054679250

Factors affecting the eligibility and acceptability of voluntary counselling and rapid HIV testing (VCT) were examined among pregnant women presenting in labour in Pune, India. Of the 6702 total women appearing at the delivery room from April 2001 to March 2002, 4638 (69%) were admitted for normal delivery. The remaining women presented with obstetrical complications, delivered immediately or were detected to be in false labour. Overall, 2818 (61%) of the admitted women had been previously tested for HIV during their pregnancy. If previously seen in the hospital's affiliated antenatal clinic, the likelihood of being previously tested was 89%, in contrast to 27% of women having prenatal care elsewhere. Of the admitted women, 3436 (74.3%) were assessed for their eligibility for rapid HIV VCT in the delivery room. Only 1322 (38%) of these women were found to be in early labour and without severe pain or complications, and therefore eligible for rapid HIV screening in the delivery room (DR). Of those 1322 eligible women, only 582 (44%) consented and were tested for HIV, of whom nine (1.6%) were found to be HIV-infected. Of the 1674 women arriving in the DR with no evidence of previous HIV testing, through this DR screening programme, we identified four women with HIV who could now benefit from treatment with ART. Given the high rates of HIV testing in the antenatal clinic at this site and the challenges inherent to conducting DR screening, alternatives such as post-partum testing should be considered to help reduce maternal to infant transmission in this population.