Gynecology & Obstetrics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0932
ISSN: 2161-0932
Mazaher Jaffer
Mount Kenya University, Kenya
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Gynecol Obstet
With the proposal that people with undetectable serum viral loads of HIV cannot transmit, there is a large gap in explaining the 4 to 7 percent vertical transmission of HIV to infants by mothers. Viral discordance has been proven in a few pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, but there are insufficient resources to test all mothers for the 3 different possible viral loads and their proviral DNA. Therefore, we are looking for factors that predispose mothers with HIV to transmit the disease to their children so that policy can be generated for their screening to be conducted if they fit the specified criteria that identifies them as a highrisk group. A preliminary prototype study on pregnant mothers with HIV and/or their partners (if dealing with a discordant couple) confirmed that viral discordance existed between blood plasma and breast milk or vaginal fluid or seminal fluid in about 30% of the sample. We also have the results from these showing factors within this population increasing the risk such as African race, duration of less than 2 years, deficiency in vitamin D and people on regimens other than TLD50 for treatment of HIV, mothers of younger age and multiple gestations in comparison to primigravida patients.
Mazaher Jaffer is Associate prof. Clinical medicine, Mount Kenya University, Nairobi Campus, MKU Towers, Moi Ave, Nairobi, Kenya.