RESEARCH ARTICLE

 

Pregnant women's knowledge about Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV infection through breast feeding

 

 

MS Maputle^I; MN Jali^II

^ID.Cur, M.Cur, RM, RN. Project manager: Comprehensive, Care Management and Treatment: Training North West Province, Department of Health
^IIMS, M.Phil (Applied Ethics) RM, RN). Lecturer Universtity of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus)

Correspondence

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

The HIV and AIDS epidemic in South Africa has reached serious proportions. Over 5, 5 million South Africans are infected with HIV (Department of Health, 2004:10). Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) is a well-established mode of HIV transmission and these infections may occur during pregnancy, labour, delivery and breastfeeding. According to the Department of Health (2000:2), breastfeeding constitutes a significant risk of MTCT HIV transmission. Studies in Africa have also shown that breast-feeding increases the risk of MTCT by 12%-43% (Department of Health, 2000:13;Department of Health, 2000:3). Since breastfeeding is a significant and preventable mode of HIV transmission to infants, there is an urgent need to educate, counsel and support women and families to make informed decisions about how best to feed their infants in the context of HIV. To achieve a reduction in MTCT, there is an urgent need to empower women with information on MTCT for informed decision-making. However, cultural factors and the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS might contribute to limited knowledge about MTCT through breastfeeding.
The aim of the study was to determine pregnant women's knowledge about MTCT of HIV/AIDS infection through breastfeeding. Findings of the study will be used to update the existing health education programmes in the field of Maternal and Child Health. The design was a descriptive research survey. The population consisted of 100 pregnant women. Convenience sampling was used to select mothers during antenatal visits at a particular clinic at Polokwane municipality. Self-constructed questionnaires were translated into Northern Sotho and distributed to the women. Data analysis used descriptive statistics. The findings of the study revealed a high level of awareness of HIV and AIDS and a low level of knowledge about MTCT of HIV and AIDS infection through breastfeeding. Based on the conclusions, a revised health education programme was proposed for the Maternal and Child Health field.

Key words: Pregnant. Breast feeding, HIV/AIDS

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

COUTSOUDIS, A 2005: Breastfeeding and the HIV positive mother: The debate continues. Early Human Development, 81:87-93.         [ Links ]

COUTSOUDIS, A; GOGA, AE & ROLLINS, N 2002: Free formula milk for infants of HIV-infected women: Blessing or curse? Health Policy and Planning, 17(2):154-60.         [ Links ]

COUTSOUDIS, A; PILLAY, K; SPOONER, E & KUNN, L 1999: Influence of infant-feeding patterns on early Mother-to-Child-Transmission of HIV-1 in Durban, South Africa: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet, 354: 471-476.         [ Links ]

DE VOS, AS 2002: Research at grassroots: For the social sciences and human service professions. Pretoria: JL Van Schaik Academic.         [ Links ]

DEMOCRATIC NURSES ORGANISATION OFSOUTH AFRICA (DENOSA) 1998: Ethical Standards for Nurse Researcher: Pretoria. DENOSA.         [ Links ]

DENISON, R 2002: HIV and Breastfeeding: What's a mother to do? The complete HIV and AIDS resource: http://www.TheBodv.Com. Accessed on 09 October 2005.         [ Links ]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 2000: HIV and AIDS Policy Guidelines: Feeding of infants of HIV Positive mothers. Pretoria:        [ Links ]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 2000: Policy guideline and recommendation for feeding of infants of HIV positive mothers. Pretoria:        [ Links ]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 2004: National HIV and Syphillis antenatal sero-prevalence survey. Pretoria:        [ Links ]

DUNN, DT; NEWELL, ML & ADES AL, 1992: Risk of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission through breastfeeding. The Lancet, 340:585-588.         [ Links ]

FILTEAU, S 2003: Reducing childhood mortality in poor countries: infant-feeding strategies to prevent post-natal transmission. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 97:25-29.         [ Links ]

JACKSON, DJ; CHOPRA, M; DOHERTY, T & ASHWORTH, F 2004: Quality of counselling of women in South African PMTCT pilot sites. International AIDS Conference, Bangkok, Abstract ThPeE7998.         [ Links ]

JEFFERY, BS & MERCER, KG 2000: Pretoria Pasteurisation: A potential method for the reduction of postnatal Mother-To-Child-Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Journal of Tropical Paediatrics, 46: 219-223.         [ Links ]

LATHAM, MC& G REINER, T 1998: Breastfeeding versus formula feeding in HIV infection. The Lancet, 352:737.         [ Links ]

LYALL, EGH 1998: Review of current research on breast milk and mother-to-infant-transmission of HIV. Reproductive Health Matters, 6 (12): 127-133.         [ Links ]

MISIHAIRABWI, P; SABATIER, R & CHIKUKWA, R 1998: HIV and breastfeeding: individual and policy dilemmas. SafAIDS News, 5 (3):14. Summarised in: AIDS Scan. 9 (4): 11-12.         [ Links ]

MSELLATI, P; NEWELL, ML & DABIES, F 1995: Rates of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV-1 in Africa, America and Europe: results from 13 perinatal studies, Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Retrovirology, 8: 506-510.         [ Links ]

PALASANTHIRAN, P; ZIEGLER, JB & STEWART, GJ 1993: Breastfeeding during maternal HIV infection and risk of transmission from mother-to-infant. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 167: 441-444.         [ Links ]

PECKHAM, C & GIBB, D 1995: Mother-to-child-transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. New England Journal of Medicine, 333: 298-302.         [ Links ]

RAISLER, J & COHN, J 2005: Mothers, midwives, and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 50(4): 275-282.         [ Links ]

UNICEF INACTION, WHO, UN AIDS/ UNICEF, 2005: Infant feeding guidelines: 47 http://www.unicef.org/programme/breastfeeding. Accessed on 10 October 2005.         [ Links ]

VAN DER PERRE, 1999: Mother-to Child-Transmission of HIV by breast milk: presumed innocent or guilty? Clinical Infectious Diseases, 15: 502-507.         [ Links ]

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION UNAIDS/UNICEF 2000: Infant feeding guidelines: http://www.unicef.org/programme/breastfeeding. Accessed on 09 October 2005.         [ Links ]

WILSON, D; NAIDOO, S; BEKKER, L; COTTON, M & MAARTEN, G 2005: Handbook of HIV medicine. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
MN Jali
University of Limpopo
Private Bag X 1106
Sovenga, 0727
Tel: (015) 268-2385; Fax: (015) 268-3080
E-mail: jalin@ul.ac.za