Knowledge Regarding Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS among Antenatal Mothers in Nepal

Abstract

Background & Objectives:Prevention of Mother to child Transmission (PMTCT) is a global intervention which aims at preventing mother to child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The study aims to find out knowledge of pregnant women on Mother to child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV/AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).Materials & Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out at Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal among the pregnant women who came to visit Antenatal Clinic. Data was collected using non-probability purposive sampling technique. Face to face interview was done and a structured questionnaire was developed for data collection. Data analysis and interpretation were done in SPSS and MS Excel.Results:The total number of respondents was 80 with a mean age of 27.4 years. 90% (n=72) respondents were found to be literate. 86.3% (n=69) were well aware of the knowledge on PMTCT. Majority of the respondents (40%) mentioned that radio, TV/Media were the main sources of information about HIV/AIDS. Out of 32.5% (26) who had heard about the window period, only 26.9% (n=7) gave the correct answer. 93.8% (n=75) were well known about the routes of transmission of HIV but only 10.1% (n=7) gave the correct answer about it. Further, 54% (n=43) respondents knew about the availability of drugs to reduce MTCT of HIV/AIDS.Conclusion:The level of awareness about PMTCT among antenatal mothers was satisfactory. However, knowledge was inadequate which imparts for the need of health education about MTCT of HIV/AIDS in every health facilities of Nepal.

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

“…Similar to our study, these two studies also found that none of the women mentioned health professionals as a source of information of HIV and AIDS (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017). The major sources of information of HIV and AIDS in these studies were Radio, Television, and Newspapers (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017). Similar to our study, the majority of women in both studies said that HIV and AIDS is transmitted from unprotected sexual contact (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017).…”

“…So, it is crucial to start health education on HIV and AIDS at the ANC clinic to provide basic knowledge about HIV and AIDS that encourages pregnant women for laboratory tests related to this infection as well as prevention and management of HIV/AIDS While some of our study findings are similar with other studies, some of our study findings are different or show lower percentage of pregnant women who have knowledge of HIV and AIDS than in other studies conducted in Nepal (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017). Similar to our study, these two studies also found that none of the women mentioned health professionals as a source of information of HIV and AIDS (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017). The major sources of information of HIV and AIDS in these studies were Radio, Television, and Newspapers (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017).…”

“…The major sources of information of HIV and AIDS in these studies were Radio, Television, and Newspapers (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017). Similar to our study, the majority of women in both studies said that HIV and AIDS is transmitted from unprotected sexual contact (Pandey, 2013;Acharya et al, 2017). However, the percentage of pregnant women who mentioned HIV and AIDS is transmitted from unprotected sexual contact with infected person was different across studies [88.9% in a study conducted by Pandey (2013); 100% in a study conducted by Acharya et al (2017); and 80.0% in our study].…”

Knowledge of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by pregnant women in Maputo City, Mozambique

“…The majority of pregnant women (72.7%) had a high level of PMTCT knowledge. This was consistent with a hospital-based cross-sectional survey carried out in Kathmandu (Nepal), where 84.4% of pregnant women knew all three MTCT transmission routes, although knowledge of drugs to prevent it was relatively low [23]. However, the level of PMTCT knowledge found in our study was higher than in two Ethiopian institutional-based surveys in Assosa town (57.5%) [24] and East Gojjam (52%) [25], and 48% at Kiisi referral hospital in Kenya [26].…”

“…Similarly, the majority of pregnant women (83.4%) had a high HIV prevention knowledge. This result was also in line with a Nepali findings [23]. Furthermore, 85.5% of pregnant women knew that limiting sexual life to a single not infected with HIV partner and condom use with occasional partners, can reduce the risk of HIV infection, as compared to 68% found in IMASIDA, 2015 [8] and 63.8% observed at community-based cross-sectional survey in Northeast Ethiopia in Meket [18].…”