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Factors Influencing Utilization Of Prevention Of Mother To Child Transmission (pmtct) Services Among Pregnant Women Attending Ante-natal Clinic In University Of Calabar Teaching Hospital (ucth)
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.2 Background of the study
The greatest challenge to human kind in the 21st century is the epidemic of Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) is the causative organism of AIDS which was first discovered in the year 1981. Despite years of campaigns, advocacy, control programmes and awareness exercises taken to curb HIV/AIDS spread, there is still a worrisome rate of increase of the infection. According to UNAIDS (2006), about 33.3 million people are estimated to live with Human immune Deficiency virus globally; 22.5 million of this population are from the sub-Saharan Africa.
Over 55% of these people living with HIV are women of reproductive age who become pregnant. HIV infection in women of reproductive age increase the epidemic of peri-natal HIV (UNAIDS, 2006). About 2.5million children live with HIV globally and 1.8million are from sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, over 1700 children become infected with HIV daily (UNAIDS 2006).
In Nigeria, about 69,400 children became infected with HIV through mother-to-child transmission in 2011. This has led to a rise in the total number of children living with HIV in the country to an unprecedented 440,000 (UNAIDS, 2012).
Majumali, (2011), opined that, Virtually all HIV infection in children occurs following mother to child transmission during the antenatal period (pregnancy), intranatal period (labour/delivery) and the post-natal period. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is about 5-10% during pregnancy, 10-20% during labour and 10-15% during breastfeeding.
There is an estimation of about 20-45% chances of a baby born to an HIV positive mother to become infected without effective interventions to prevention of mother-to-child transmission. With effective interventions, such as use of antiretroviral drugs both for mother formula feeding etc., the risk of mother to child transmission has been shown to reduce by 5%. Primary preventive measures (prevention of new infections in parents, avoiding new pregnancies in HIV infected women) and secondary preventive measures (preventing transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her infant) are the three approaches in reducing mother to child transmission (MTCT) promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), (McIntyres $ Gray 2004).New approaches in preventing MTCT to <2% includes use of combined anti-retroviral prophylaxis, elective caesarean section and by avoiding prolonged breastfeeding or mixed feeding.
In Nigeria, despite these preventives measures of mother to child transmission, research has shown poor utilization of these services. Thus, the need for this study.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This study sought to assess the factors influence the utilization of PMTCT services among pregnant women in antenatal clinic in University of Calabar Teaching Healthcare (UCTH), Calabar. The specific Objectives of the Study were: to assess the level of knowledge about PMTCT services, determine the socio-economic factors influencing utilization of PMTCT services and to identify the cultural/religion factors influencing utilization of PMTCT services among pregnant women in UCTH. Three research que ... Continue reading---
