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  • Title: Seroprevalence of HIV infection amongst antenatal women in greater Harare, Zimbabwe.
    Author: Mahomed K, Kasule J, Makuyana D, Moyo S, Mbidzo M, Tswana S.
    Journal: Cent Afr J Med; 1991 Oct; 37(10):322-5. PubMed ID: 1813126.
    Abstract:
    Prevalence of HIV infection appears to be rising in many African countries. HIV infection in the pregnant woman poses a dilemma for the mother as well as for her unborn child. There are no data on HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe. This prospective study designed to determine HIV prevalence, enrolled pregnant women booking for antenatal care at Harare hospital and two of its peripheral municipal clinic. Two Elisa and a confirmatory Western Blot test on 1008 blood samples provided an HIV sero-prevalence rate in the studied population of 18 pc. High groups included unskilled labourers who were unbooked, single, divorced or cohabiting and below 30 years of age. Regarding education and income, women with over 11 years of education or earning over $600 per month constituted a lower risk category. Implications of this high prevalence rate are discussed and the urgency to examine feto maternal transmission and the effect of pregnancy on HIV status is expressed. Further more, intensification of preventive information and education programmes is recommended. In May-October 1990, microbiologists perform AIDS serodiagnostic tests on blood samples from 1008 pregnant women attending the maternity clinic at Harare Hospital, the Edith Opperman Clinic, or the Glenview Clinic in Greater Harare in Zimbabwe to determine HIV seroprevalence among these women and HIV risk factors. The overall HIV seroprevalence stood at 18%. Pregnant women who were booked were at a significantly lower risk of HIV infection than were those not booked (16% vs. 25.9%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.54). Characteristics of those significantly most likely to be HIV seropositive were being divorced (OR = 3.8), cohabiting (PR = 1.8), or being single (OR = 2.2) being married for less than 3 years (OR = 1.5). Pregnant women who had more than 3 children had a significantly lower HIV infection rate than those with 3 or fewer children (OR for 0 parity = 2.5; OR for 1-3 parity = 6.8). In terms of age, 30 year old women had the lowest HIV infection rate (8.8% vs. 20.4% for 20-29 years olds and 19% for 20 year olds) and were at least risk of acquiring HIV infection (OR = 0.4). In terms of education and income, women who attended formal schools for more than 11 years (OR = 0.6) or who made more than $300/month (OR = 0-0.6) were the lowest risk groups. Yet, education and income did not significantly affect HIV risk. Unskilled workers had the highest HIV seroprevalence rate (28.6% vs. 17% for unemployed workers [the next highest group]) and constituted the greatest risk category (OR = 5.1). Presumably HIV was transmitted to the HIV seropositive pregnant women via sexual intercourse. These results indicated a need for an information and education program to prevent transmission of HIV and longitudinal studies to examine fetomaternal transmission obstetric outcomes, and the effect of pregnancy on progression of HIV disease.
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