Viral load outcomes after art initiation among women in a PMTCT B+ programme in Zimbabwe

Le résumé fourni par la source

The WHO 2013 guidelines recommend that all HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding women take Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). A high viral load (VL) (>1000 copies/ml) during pregnancy or breast-feeding is associated with higher rates of MTCT. In Zimbabwe, routine VL testing was introduced in MSF-supported HIV programmes in 2012, with patients tested at three and twelve months after starting ART, and then annually. This analysis aimed to determine the proportion of PMTCT women with a VL >1000 copies /ml, associated risk factors, and to compare the findings to women outside the PMTCT programmeA significant number of pregnant and breastfeeding women failed to suppress their VL within 3 months of starting ART, putting their infants at ongoing risk of HIV infection. Increased support is needed for counselling at ART initiation and during the first months on ART, particularly among younger women. In addition, guidance is urgently needed on the optimal timing of VL testing among women in PMTCT programmes.

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