Assessment of Trends in the Utilization of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV Services in the Kumba Health District, Cameroon

Abstract

High use of the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services and good knowledge of prevention of mother-to-child transmission is a highly effective intervention and has enormous potential to improve both maternal and child health. The aim of the study was to determine trends in the utilization of PMTCT services and to determine the level of knowledge on PMTCT services by pregnant mothers attending antenatal care clinic in Kumba health district. A retrospective study from 2009 to 2013 and a cross-sectional survey were conducted among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic from April to August 2014. Three hundred (300) antenatal care attendees were recruited after receiving their written informed consent. Data was collected from monthly PMTCT files and pre-tested structured questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi Info and analysed using SPSS. The study showed that the percentage of pregnant women who attended antenatal care first visit (ANC1) increased from 22.55% in 2009 to 46.5% in 2013 and those who tested for HIV during ANC increased from 95.08% in 2009 to 99.27% in 2013. The percentage of HIV positive women who received ART decreased from 83.67% in 2009 to 64.07% in 2013. It was also observed that the number of exposed infants who received ARV at birth increased from 70.11% in 2009 to 86.76% in 2013. More than three quarters (77%) of the participants had knowledge about MTCT, while 75% had knowledge about PMTCT. In the study, 50% of participants effectively used PMTCT services. In conclusion, there was an overall progress in the utilization of PMTCT services but the level of knowledge of pregnant women on MTCT and PMTCT of HIV are relatively low.