Attitudes towards prenatal HIV testing and treatment among pregnant women in southern India

During Tune and July 1999, oral interviews were conducted on 666 women seek ing prenatal care at 9 medical facilities in Chennai and Mysore, India, to assess their attitudes towards prenatal HIV testing and antiretroviral prop hylaxis for preventing perinatal HIV transmission if needed. Seventy-eight per cent were aware of the risk of perinatal HIV transmission and 36% knew that intervention could reduce the chances of such transmission. Eighty-six per cent would agree to undergo prenatal HIV testing but only 21% of all r espondents would make this decision independently while 46% said their husb and would have to decide. Of those women who would not agree to testing, 21 % would agree if testing were compulsory. Ninety-seven per cent of responde nts would undergo antiretroviral prophylaxis to prevent vertical transmissi on, and 94% would consider alternatives to breastfeeding if HIV positive. C onsidering its widespread acceptability, prenatal voluntary counselling and testing may be an affordable method of HIV prevention for this population.