3rd International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment Rio de Janeiro - July 24 - 27, 2005

DISCORDANT COUPLES AMONG HIV POSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN IN PMTCT PROGRAM

IAS Conf HIV Pathog Treat 2005 Jul 24-27;3rd: Abstract No. TuOa0305

Vijayakumari J.¹, Rukmani R.¹, Anuradha G.², Jacob M.¹, Srijeyanth P.¹, Samuel N.M.^1
1 Dept.of Experimental Medicine, TN.Dr.MGR Medical University, Chennai, India, ² Nammakal District Head Quarter Hospital, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India

INTRODUCTION: Screening of HIV among pregnant women is index of prevalence of HIV among the community. Testing pregnant women and their husbands will play an important role in prevention of HIV and reducing mother to child transmission. All seropositive women were encouraged to have their partners tested for HIV.

METHODS: All the pregnant women who attend antenatal clinic were counseled and offered HIV testing (after written informed consent) in Namakkal District Head Quarter Hospital, South India. HIV rapid test was performed, and positive samples were confirmed by ELISA. Husbands of the HIV seropositive pregnant women were counseling and tested.

RESULTS: During a period of 4 years (2000-2004) 11783 pregnant women were counseled and 11667 (99%) were tested. 314 (2.7%) women were HIV positive. 217/311 husbands were tested. 165 (76%) were HIV positive. 52 (24%) husbands were negative. In these discordant couples the men are aware of their wives HIV status. There are no family disruptions and are living together. However 10/52 (19%) abstain from having sex with their wives. 30/52 (57%) has protected sex with their wives and the remaining 12/52 (24%) indulge in unprotected sex. 50% of husbands who indulge in unprotected sex visits the clinic periodically for HIV testing and none has seroconverted.

CONCLUSIONS: HIV discordant couples where the husbands are negative exist in the rural Indian population. In spite of discordance, the couples live together. Repeated couple counseling is essential for providing psychosocial support and for preventing seroconversion.

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Prevention | TuOa0305 | JJ Vijayakumari
Socio-behavioural aspects of MTCT prevention

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