SummaryIn a cross-sectional study in 1998 we assessed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

This work reports the knowledge and attitudes of a sample of pregnant women from Tulear, Madagascar. While 91.3% of the 396 women recruited reported experiencing HIV-AIDS, 62.1% could express knowledge of at least one appropriate mode of protection against the disease. Radio and other mass media represented the most frequent source of information. 31.3% of women strongly discriminated against patients with HIV/AIDS. There was no significant relationship between knowledge of the means of protection against HIV-AIDS and the different biomarkers of STIs obtained. 81.7% of women were condom users, but only 5.4% used it as a method of contraception outside the desired period of pregnancy. Low-educated women from the South West appeared to be particularly at risk of not knowing about HIV, and would require the implementation of appropriate information programs.