Introduction:

Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is achievable through prevention of mother-to-child transmission PMTCT interventions. For HIV-positive mothers to access PMTCT services they must be identified through HIV testing and counseling.

Objectives:

We sought to measure the proportion of mothers with unknown HIV status and to determine associated factors.

Methodology:

We recruited into a cross-sectional study 400 mothers accompanying their infants for routine immunization at mother-child health clinic MCH at Machakos Hospital Kenya collected information on HIV testing from their antenatal records and offered optout HIV testing to those with unknown HIV status.

Findings:

Results:

Overall 304 76.0 mothers had unknown status at MCH of whom 25 8.6 tested HIV-positive. HIV positivity was three times higher among mothers who never tested during pregnancy/delivery versus those whose last negative HIV test was 3 months prior to study enrolment 18 versus 6. Women living more than three kilometers away from the health facility had 2.7-fold greater odds of having unknown status compared to those who lived less than three kilometers adjusted odds ratio AOR 2.7 95 CI 1.35.6. Married women had 3.2-fold greater odds of having unknown status as compared to those who were single AOR 3.2 95 CI 1.47.0. Those with education had a tenfold reduction in odds of having unknown status compared to those with none AOR 0.1 95 CI 0.00.2.

Conclusion:

Interventions are needed to improve womens ANC attendance uptake of HIV testing and disclosure of HIV status during pregnancy to achieve the elimination of MTCT.rnInterventions are needed to improve womens ANC attendance uptake of HIV testing and disclosure of HIV status during pregnancy to achieve the elimination of MTCT.

Author(s):

Focus County(s):

Machakos County

Programme Area(s):

Sexual, Reproductive, Adolescent & Child Health

Research Priority Area(s):

Disease Domain(s):

maternal and child health

Publication Date: 13.Jun.2023

Conference Title:

Venue: