Nsp C, Varalakshmi M, Sridher D, Ragupathy B, Jayarathnam M, Kalaiselvi A, Nataraj S; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. ThPeE7794.

SIAAP, Chennai, India

BACKGROUND: With a population of 62 million, Tamil Nadu has about 1.2 million live births every year. Recent studies show infection rates between 0.33% to 3 % with a mean of 1%, among pregnant women. This implies that nearly 4000 babies will be born with HIV each year. Infants infected during breast feeding will add to the number. Counselling services for testing and ARV therapy for prevention of HIV from parent to children (PTCT) severely constrained by gender issues. Main issues in counselling women include inability to maintain policy of informed consent and confidentiality ; inability of the women to take independent decision, absence of couple counselling policy. In addition, many women visit the hospital for the first time only upon onset of labour. METHODS: - Providing counseling services at government antenatal clinics. - home visits for follow-up. - Community counselling RESULTS: - Couples have penetrative sex through pregnancy and condoms are not usually used - A woman must have a baby soon after marriage to retain respect - There is very poor knowledge about HIV transmission among young married women - Most women agree to test without understanding the significance - Upon testing positive, women are stigmatized by their husband's families and are suspected of having been unfaithful - Women are unable to afford formula feed and are suspected of having AIDS if they don't breast feed - Women are unaware of the concept of exclusive breast feeding - Home visits for follow up of infants increase stigma and discrimination of the women CONCLUSIONS: - Review of informed consent procedures in VCTCs - Couple counselling before the test, both partners to be tested at the same time. - Promotion of understanding and practice of exclusive breast feeding practices. - Avoiding home visits unless specifically requested.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Breast Feeding
• Child
• Confidentiality
• Counseling
• Family Characteristics
• Female
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant Nutrition Physiology
• Live Birth
• Population
• Pregnancy
• Sex
• psychology

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0019146

UI: 102256644

From Meeting Abstracts