DIFFERENCES IN HIV TESTING, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES IN PREGNANT-WOMENWHO DELIVER AND THOSE WHO TERMINATE - PREVAGEST 1992 - FRANCE

The object of this study supported by the French Agency for AIDs Resea rch (ANRS) was to assess knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women tow ards HIV infection and testing, and to compare them according to the o utcome of the pregnancy (elective abortion vs delivery). Between March 22 and April 26, 1992, all women ending their pregnancy and attending one of the 72 medical centres located in South-Eastern France were as ked to complete an anonymous questionnaire (n = 4303). 3,854 (89.6%) r esponded: 2,825 women at delivery (WD) and 764 who chose an elective a bortion (WA). 61.7% of WD and 24.1% of WA declared having been tested for HIV during pregnancy (p < 0.001). Among women who reported not hav ing been HIV tested, very few did so because they refused the test (1. 7% among WD and 1.4% among WA-NS). Prior HIV testing was less frequent among WA than among WD (45.8% vs 58.8%-p < 0.001). 2.8% of women test ed during prenatal care and 20% in the context of abortion did not kno w the result of their test (p < 0,001). Knowledge about HIV transmissi on declared by WD did not differ significantly from that declared by W A. However, risky behaviours were more frequent among WA than among WD (38.9% vs 17.7%-p < 0.001). This research shows that French screening HIV policy in the context of pregnancy remains mainly motivated by fo etal concerns. Although women who abort voluntarily report risky behav iours more frequently, the opportunity of information and counselling towards them is relatively neglected in comparison with women who deli ver.