Improvement is needed in the documentation and HIV testing of children of HIV-positive women

Int J STD AIDS. 2012 Jan;23(1):55-6. doi: 10.1258/ijsa.2009.009329.

Abstract

We assessed our unit's documentation of the HIV status of 146 identifiable existing children of 146 women audited, out of our total cohort of 329 HIV-positive women. For 23 women (16%) there was no documentation of the presence or absence of children. For 81 children of 43 (29%) women the HIV status was unknown. Of these children, at least eight (5.5%) reside in the UK and could be accessed for testing. It is essential that documentation and testing of children of HIV-positive women takes place to prevent potentially fatal late-stage presentations of AIDS and onward transmission of HIV as young people become sexually active.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Documentation / standards*
  • Documentation / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • HIV Seropositivity / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical*
  • Medical Audit*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Young Adult