Prevention of mother to child transmission

Background

The PMTCT programme at PHRU started over ten years ago as a research project, and it was successful in demonstrating the effect of antiretroviral use in preventing mother to child transmission of HIV in the SAINT and PETRA studies.

The Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU) has made a major contribution in the prevention of HIV transmission from infected mothers to their babies in the Soweto community. The programme was implemented in 2001 in line with National/Provincial Health Department PMTCT protocol. Its success has made a major contribution in influencing policy makers in the maternal and child care spheres (Nationally and Gauteng Department of Health). The PMTCT services are provided by PHRU in thirteen clinics around Soweto including Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Currently Local Government clinic facilities are also offering PMTCT (dual therapy). It offers voluntary counseling and testing to pregnant women attending antenatal care units, provides rapid HIV testing and post test counseling. Positive women and their infants are provided with antiretroviral treatment. The infant is tested for HIV-infection at 6 weeks.

Services Provided

Since its inception the PMTCT programme has grown and expanded and now provides dual therapy to mothers and infants and HAART where indicated

Services provided now include:

During Pregnancy

• Group education on HIV/AIDS and pregnancy
• Individual counseling and testing for HIV using rapid tests
• Post test counseling
• TB Screening and WHO staging
• Distribution of Nevirapine tablets and AZT to HIV positive women at 28 weeks.
• CD4 count tests
• Referral for HAART if CD4 count is less than 200 and or women is stage four according to WHO staging criteria.
• Infant feeding counseling
• Support group facilities.