Prevention of Vertical Transmission of HIV Infection in Makaruk Hospital, Kanchanaburi

Abstract

A total of 87 HIV - infected women and their infants were studied during Jan. 1999 - May 2002 at Makaruk hospital, Kanchanaburi. 11 infants were infected (rate 12.64%). 1 out of 39 infants of HIV — infected women received the national program’s prophylactic antiretroviral drug (AZT) was infected (rate 2.56%). While 10 out of 48 infants of HIV - infected women not received AZT were infected (rate 20.83%). The statistical data analysis to draw inference about the several risk factors affecting vertical HIV transmis-sion to infant was also conducted by using chi - square test with 95% confidence level. The results show that women received AZT and not received AZT were significantly statistical difference in vertical HIV transmission to infants. The other risk factors : sex, gestational age, route of delivery, were not significantly different. However, bottle feeding without breast milk can significantly reduce the vertical HIV trans-mission rate.