Correlates of mother-to child-transmission of HIV infection in a tertiary hospital in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has the largest global burden of HIV new infections in children despite global and national concerted efforts at the reduction of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The goal of this study was to determine the associations between maternal characteristics, practices and mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection among mothers living with HIV. METHODS: This is a hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Information was obtained using interviewer-administered questionnaire from the 240 participants. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Out of the 240 mothers recruited, 129 (53.8%) were within 25-35 years of age, with a mean age of 31.08 ± 5.65. A total of 35 (14.6%) of the participants had at least a child with HIV infection. Maternal ART status before childbirth (AOR = 0.02, 95%CI = 0.01-0.05, P = < 0 .001) was the singular determinant of having a child with HIV infection. Mothers who delivered outside the health facility were about four-fold at risk of having an infected child (AOR = 3.89, 95%CI = 1.82-8.50, P = 0.070). CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is high. Routine HIV testing services and the provision of accessible and affordable reproductive health services are recommended for all women of childbearing age.