Test programme prevents up to 100 babies from contracting HIV

HIV testing of expectant mothers saved up to 100 unborn babies from contracting the virus in one four-year period.

The first report of the voluntary antenatal HIV screening programme shows it identified 290 women who had no idea they were infected and that their unborn child was at risk.

Between 15 and 35% of expectant mothers with HIV will pass it on to their babies if they do not get specialist medical treatment during pregnancy and delivery — which would have equated to as many as 101 babies over the four years studied — but the number born with HIV during that period was just seven.

Health specialists believe at least some of those births were to women who attended for antenatal care for the first time when their pregnancy was at an advanced stage or while they were in labour when it was too late to test or administer preventative medication.

“What we are seeing is that virtually 100% of babies whose mothers are diagnosed as HIV positive at the time of delivery are HIV-free. The chance of transmission in those cases is very, very small,” said specialist in public health medicine and report co-author Dr Aidan O’Hora.

As well as the 290 new cases picked up, the programme also identified 234 women who were previously diagnosed.

The total number, equating to one positive test for every 350 women screened, meant Ireland had the third-highest prevalence of HIV in pregnant women in Europe in 2003, although the number later fell in line with the European average.

Women in the east of the country were two to three times more likely to be diagnosed as HIV-positive than women in the rest of the country, also in line with the rest of Europe where higher rates are recorded in major urban centres.

Voluntary HIV testing was introduced in all health board areas between 1999 and 2000 and national monitoring of the results began in 2002. The first report, which mainly covers public patients during 2002-2005, shows the proportion of women who agreed to the test rose each year from 95% to 99% by 2005.

“The take-up rate is excellent. If everybody was as aware of their HIV status as mothers now are, it would have very important public health benefits,” said Dr O’Hora.