HIV+ pregnant woman and exposed children: epidemiological study on compulsory notification

Abstract

This cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed at identifying the antiretroviral treatment used during pregnancy and at delivery, outcome, and diagnosis of the children of HIV+ pregnant women. Notification cards of pregnant women registered in 2002 whose cases were completed in 2005, were analyzed in the database of the Notification Offence System of the Local Health Department of the General Coordination Bureau of Epidemiological Control Health Surveillance of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Out of 389 investigated pregnant women, 189 (48.6%) started the antiretroviral treatment between the 14th and the 27th week, while 361 (92.8%) received the antiretroviral treatment at delivery. Out of all of the children of these pregnant women, 65.6% used prophylaxis with antiretroviral drugs for six weeks in the first 24 months of life. Only 2.8% of the children were confirmed as infected. Although the notification of HIV cases is compulsory, it is not always complet, which may compromise statistics.