Why is Pmtct important?

PMTCT improves maternal and child health through preventing the spread of HIV infection in SSA countries. There is evidence of a positive impact of PMTCT on primary care for mothers and children, beyond HIV.

What are the elements of Pmtct?

The four components of the comprehensive PMTCT programme endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are:

• primary prevention of HIV among women of childbearing age.
• prevention of unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV.
• prevention of HIV transmission from a woman living with HIV to her infant.

What are the four prongs of Pmtct?

These four prongs represent the cornerstones of comprehensive PMTCT service delivery: primary prevention of HIV infection among women of childbearing age (prong 1), preventing unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV (prong 2), preventing HIV transmission from a woman living with HIV to her infant (prong 3).

How do you stop Pmtct?

An effective Prevention of Mother to Child Transmissions (PMTCT) programme requires mothers and their babies to:

1. Receive antenatal services and HIV testing during pregnancy.
2. Have access to antiretroviral treatment (ART)
3. Practice safe childbirth practices and appropriate infant feeding.

What does ARVs stand for?

ART stands for antiretroviral treatment. It is also called combination therapy or HIV treatment. What are ARVs? HIV drugs are called antiretrovirals (ARVs) because HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus.

What are the guidelines for prevention of PMTCT?

World Health Organization PMTCT guidelines. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes a comprehensive approach to PMTCT programmes which includes: preventing new HIV infections among women of reproductive age; preventing unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV; preventing HIV transmission from a woman living with HIV to her baby

How many children are affected by PMTCT in Africa?

Around 73% of these women live in just 23 countries, the vast majority of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, and are classified as high-priority for PMTCT by UNAIDS. 4 In 2017, just over half (52%) of the 1.8 million children living with HIV were receiving ART.

How is PMTCT used to prevent the spread of HIV?

As PMTCT is not 100% effective, elimination of HIV is defined as reducing the final HIV transmission rate to 5% or less among breastfeeding women and to 2% or less among non-breastfeeding women by 2020. 19

Why are more infants infected with PMTCT after birth?

Keeping women and infants in PMTCT programmes after delivery is challenging. In some countries more infant infections are now occurring during the postnatal period due to breastfeeding rather than pregnancy or labour due to the high rates of women who leave care.