CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

HIV means human Immunodeficiency virus. It is a virus that causes AIDS and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infection. A person may be “HIV positive but do not have AIDS for 10years or longer (HIV Basic a center of disease control and prevention (CDC). A person who is HIV positive can transmit the virus to another person when the infected with blood, semen or vaginal fluid comes in contact with broken skin or mucous membrane .HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, labor, delivery or breastfeeding is called prenatal transmission. According to (March of Dimes, 2018), factors which increase the risk of transmission include; smoking, infections such as STDs, Substance abuse, vitamin A deficiency and breast feeding. HIV /AIDS testing is conducted with, a blood test (American pregnancy association, 2015).    

Thirty -eight million infected people are living with HIV and are found in the developing world: (Epidemiology of AIDS in developed countries) HIV infection in pregnancy has become the most common medical complications of pregnancy in some countries. More than 70% of all HIV infections are as a result of heterosexual transmission and over 90% of Children result from mother -to -child transmission. Almost 600,000 children who are infected with HIV by mother to child transmission of HIV. In parts of southern Africa, the prevalence of HIV in pregnant women is over 30% (WHO, 2018)

Globally, about 370,000 infants become infected with HIV every year .(UNAIDS)report on the global AIDs  epidemic Sub -Sahara Africa ( World Health Organization 2010 ) Depending on the availability of  intervention to reduce HIV transmission through breast feeding is responsible for between 30% and 60% of all HIV infections in children (Journal of infectious  disease ,2004).If an HIV infected mother breastfeeds her infants for 2years without receiving any antiretroviral drugs( ARVS)then 14 -20% of infants will become infected (Journal of infectious disease ,2004).

Mother to child transmission of HIV refers to prenatal transmission of HIV from an HIV positive mother to her baby at any one or more of the following stages: pregnancy, Labor, delivery or breastfeeding. Globally, this account for about 90% of HIV infected children under the age of 15years (De cool KM, 2000).In 2016, 90% of the estimated four million children living with HIV resided in the sub-Sahara Africa (Nigeria FGO, 2016).

In Cameroon, the prevalence of HIV was estimated to be 4.3% in the general population. A zero surveliant survey among pregnant women shown HIV Prevalence of 76% in 2010 (MINSANTE -CNILS Cameroon, 2012).  As a result, the rate of pediatric infections continues to grow in Cameroon and there are still thousands of new infections each year. (Penazzano, 2014). In 2011, the UNAIDs launched the global plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mother’s alive (UNAIDs, 2011). Since 2011, Cameroon has tripled its coverage of PMTCT prophylaxis ranging from 6.9% to 36.5% leading to 36% less new HIV infection among children (UNAIDS 2011)

1.2 Problem Statement

Mother to child transmission of HIV is the main way of prenatal transmission from an HIV Positive mother to her infants. According to (UNAIDs/WHO AID epidemic update 2009), an estimate of 430,000 children were newly infected with the HIV virus in 2008 in the world, more than 90% of them through vertical transmission from mother. In Zambia roughly 80.000 Infants are born annually from HIV Infected mothers and are risk of contracting the disease. An average of 20,000 are born with HIV each year (40 %) The rate of vertical transmission varies from 15 -25 in Non-breast-feeding infants and double in breastfeeding ones (Ministry of health national protocol guideline, 2010) for vertical transmission, it various preventions and the risk involved for mother and child are hence the study question. Through the strategies to curb, the differences are put in place. In some countries others are yet to implement such. In Cameroon no study was found in the Buea Regional Hospital as far as mother-to-child transmission is concern.

1.3 Rationale

Due to the increase or high rate of HIV/ AIDS transmission worldwide about 80% in Africa, the birth rate of infants who got infected by their mother in the world each year has increased. This therefore calls for concern on the knowledge and practices on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission are now necessary.

1.4 Research Question

• What knowledge do pregnant women at the Buea Regional Hospital have on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS?
• What are the practices of pregnant women at the Buea Regional Hospital in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS?
• What preventive measures are used by pregnant women at the Buea Regional Hospital in the prevention of the MTCT HIV/AIDS?

1.6 Research Objectives

1.6.1 General Objective

The study aims to assess pregnant women knowledge and practices of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Buea Regional Hospital.

1.6.2 Specific Objectives

• To access the knowledge pregnant women have on mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the Buea Regional Hospital
• To identify pregnant women practices on the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in the Buea Regional Hospital
• To determine the preventing measures of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among pregnant women in the Buea Regional Hospital.