The Prevalence of HIV Infection among Pregnant Women at Kabutare District Hospital - Rwanda

Background: Kabutare Hospital is a District Hospital in Rwanda. The HIV infection has been a threat to mothers and their babies since many years in Rwanda, where the prevalence countrywide is estimated at 3% (DHS 2010) and 4.7% among pregnant women (UNAIDS2009). We conducted a study to know the sero-prevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women who delivered at Kabutare District Hospital .The objectives were to determine the prevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women in Kabutare Hospital and to compare the prevalence of HIV infection in Kabutare Hospital with the prevalence at the National level.
Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study conducted from July 2012 to December 2012.The study concerned 1258 pregnant women who delivered in the Kabutare District Hospital. From the Hospital records the data were extracted and analyzed by SPSS.20 software.
Results: A total of 1258 pregnant women attended and delivered at Kabutare Hospital between July 2012 and December2012.The vaginal deliveries were 680 (54.1%) and the women who delivered by Caesarean section were 578 (49.1%), the rate of deliveries per day is 7 with a mean number of pregnancy estimated at 2.14.Themajority of pregnant women is situated in age group of 21-35 years (78 %).The monthly attendance is within a range of 171 women and 246 women (December and August respectively). A total of 613 (48.7%) of women were primigravida. The foetal presentation which was dominant is the cephalic presentation with 97.1% (1226 pregnant women). The prevalence of HIV infection was 2.9 % (36 women)
Among HIV infected women, the age group of >35 years old pregnant women was more affected by the HIV infection with a percentage of 4.2%.Among HIV infected women 50% had a vaginal delivery and 50% undergone a cesarean section .The women who had two or more pregnancies were infected by the HIV infection with a percent of 3.8 (24 pregnant women).
Conclusion: The sero-prevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women in Kabutare Hospital is slightly below to the sero-prevalence at the national level. But persistent vigilance is needed to prevent the Mother to Child transmission.