The value of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Summary

Over 90% of the children infected with HIV globally were as a result of mother-to-child transmission. With a high prevalence of HIV among women of reproductive age and a high fertility rate in Nigeria, the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is an important strategy to curb the menace of HIV. This paper examines the value of highly active antiretroviral treatment in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital were offered voluntary counselling and testing for HIV. Seropositive women who fulfilled the criteria for administration of antiretroviral drugs were offered a triple combination of nevirapine, stavudine and lamivudine in pregnancy. Women who did not fulfil the criteria were offered single dose nevirapine in labour. The newborn of all HIV-positive women were offered nevirapine suspension within 72 h of delivery. Overall transmission rate for women who had combination treatment was 9.1% which was lowered to zero level among those that had elective caesarean section and infant formula in addition to the drugs. Those who had single dose nevirapine in labour had a transmission rate of 33.3%. It is recommended that the single dose nevirapine be abandoned in favour of combination treatment.