Perfil epidemiológico de gestantes soropositivas ao HIV e seus recém nascidos

Abstract

Introduction: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus epidemic during motherhood brings out many challenges to the mother, such as facing a chronic and stigmatized disease and the risk of vertical transmission. The amount of women infected with HIV has been increasing and the majority were women in their reproductive years. Concomitantly many women were diagnosed in the gestational period. The lack of quality in the prenatal increases the chances of vertical transmission. Objective: To characterize the epidemiological and sociodemographic profile of seropositive pregnant women for HIV and their newborns in Belém / Pará from 2007 to 2016. Case study and method: A retrospective quantitative study covering a sample composed of 802 pregnant women seropositive for HIV and 210 of their newborns in Belém (Pará), from 2007 to 2016. The data source is the Information System for Notification Diseases provided by the Pará State Secretary of Health and the analysis performed through descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: In ten years, there have been 802 pregnant women and 210 newborns. The number of HIV­positive pregnant women increased 52.2% during the 10­year study. Most of the pregnant women studied (73%) were in the 20 to 34 age group. Twenty­one percent of the pregnant women were teenagers and 37% of them had incomplete elementary education. Prenatal care was performed by 83% of the patients. The diagnosis of HIV was known in 79% of them. Cesarean section was performed in 69% of pregnant women. Antiretroviral therapy was performed in 76% of the patients during gestational period and 69% during delivery. Antiretroviral therapy was performed in 83% of the new born in the first 24 hours of life. Conclusions: The challenge of preventing vertical transmission persists, despite the hard work developed and several measures implemented by the Ministry of Health. Many obstacles, such as low education level, low quality of prenatal care, and the non­use of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy, at delivery and after delivery in exposed infants, increase vertical transmission chances. However, these challenges can be overcome through a herculean and joint effort of health professionals, managers and government officials. Failures in the monitoring of gestation, delivery and the newborn, point to the need for improvements in care. Therefore, greater efforts and investments are needed to ensure the birth of healthy babies from HIV­positive mothers.