Knowledge and awareness of pregnant women on HIV and AIDS in Butwal, Nepal

Abstract

This study examined knowledge and awareness regarding HIV and AIDS among pregnant women in Butwal, Nepal. Pregnant women were selected using a systematic random sampling method from the antenatal care registry at every 5th and 10th interval. Although 80% of women mentioned unprotected sexual contact as the major route of HIV transmission, only 36.7% women knew that HIV can be transmitted from the infected mothers to their babies. Approximately half of the women (53.0%) mentioned foreign employees as a vulnerable group for HIV infection, followed by multiple sexual partners (41.0%), intravenous drug users (40.0%), commercial sex workers (35.0%), and labor migrants (25.0%). Although 71.7% women knew that proper use of a condom could easily prevent HIV transmission, few women knew other preventive ways (such as use of disposable syringes). Implementation of effective health education programs on HIV infection is needed for pregnant women in the study area.

Antenatal Care for Pregnant Women Infected with HIV/AIDS in Bonto Bahari District, Bulukumba Regency, Indonesia

“…However, knowledge of the modes of HIV transmission appears to be good. The ways of HIV transmission were known by the informants, such as through drugs, use of unsterilized needles, blood transfusions, unsafe sex, and mother-to-child transmission of HIV through pregnancy, childbirth, and breast milk [11], [12].…”