Prevalence of positive anti-HIV in pregnant women at Ramathibodi Hospital
Jirapinyo, M.; Petchclai, B.; Phiromsawat, S.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 74(12): 653-657
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 1813591 Document Number: 323064
In 1990-1991, health workers at the prenatal clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, screened 12,067 women in the first trimester of pregnancy for antibodies to HIV. Most of the pregnant women were from middle class areas of Bangkok. 21 of the women tested positive for HIV (0.2%). All HIV-positive women and their husbands underwent counseling. HIV prevalence between January and June 1990 was 0.056% and rose 3-fold by July-December 1990 (0.2%) and 4-fold by January-June 1991 (in reference to 1 year earlier, 0.244%). The highest number of cases/month occurred in December 1990. 85% of the HIV-positive women were 20-30 years old, but the age range was from 18-35 years. 95% were second gravida. 38% were housewives. 81% (17) were from rural areas. 90% were married. 66% of husbands of these HIV-positive women also tested positive for HIV. 71% of the HIV-positive women opted for termination of pregnancy (menstrual regulation in 57% and hypertonic saline solution in 14%). These findings motivated the hospital physicians to recommend obligatory HIV screening of all pregnant women to manage the HIV-positive cases and to prevent HIV from spreading to their offspring.