HIV exposed infants: a preliminary report of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital experience

Abstract

To determine the Sociodemographic characteristics, infant feeding choices and outcome of HIV exposed neonates attending the paediatric infectious disease clinic (IDC) of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano.

Patients and methods: The records of all HIV exposed babies were reviewed. One hundred and ninety HIV exposed babies were seen between October 2003-December 2005. Of these 121 were part of the PMTCT programme while 69 were not. A total of 179(94.2%) babies were delivered at term while 11(5.8%) were delivered prematurely, with M: F ratio of 1.2:1.

Results: A substantial number of mothers in the non PMTCT group were diagnosed antenataly or even prior to conception yet they did not avail themselves of the interventions in the PMTCT programme. Reasons given were ignorance, inaccessibility to PMTCT centres and fear of stigmatisation. Breast milk substitute, was the leading choice of mothers in the PMTCT group while breast milk and mixed feeding was practised more in the non-PMTCT group.

Conclusion: PMTCT remains the best way of preventing paediatric HIV infection and infant feeding counselling should be family oriented. Provision of free infant formula, PCR machines to enable early diagnosis, waiving of fees, and home visits would greatly improve infant follow up.