PMTCT Interventions and Outcome of Babies Born to HIV Positive Mothers: A Retrospective Study at a Secondary Health-Care Facility in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Mother to child transmission (MTCT) of the AIDS virus remains a persistent means for HIV acquisition and accounts for most cases of paediatric HIV infection. Maternal viral load, antiretroviral therapy for mother and infants, infant feeding pattern and mode of delivery have been implicated as factors that affects MTCT rates. The study evaluated the efficacy of the various PMTCT interventions in relation to HIV status of the babies. Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) register of exposed infants seeking care from January 2015-December 2016 was retrieved and reviewed. Data on mother's antiretroviral therapy (ART) status, infants ART status, sex, feeding pattern and HIV status were extracted, recorded an analyzed using SPSS 23 and results expressed in simple frequency and percentage. Statistical association was assayed for using Chi-square and Fisher's exact test. A total of 249 mother and infant pairs took part in the study. Approximately (50.2%) of the infants were females and virtually all (95.6%) of the participating mothers were on ART. Likewise, almost all (94.0%) of the infants were placed on ART while majority of them (71%) were exclusively breastfed. An incidence rate of 4.4% (11/249) for MTCT of the AIDS virus was recorded while variables such as maternal ART status, infant ART status and infant feeding pattern showed strong association with MTCT. Findings from this study revealed a reduced prevalence for the study region when compared to other regions and a hope for the complete eradication of MTCT of HIV when PMTCT interventions and strategies are properly implemented and utilized.