       Document 0547
 DOCN  M9630547
 TI    The management of pregnancy and delivery in HIV-infected women in
       Europe.
 DT    9603
 AU    Scaravelli G; Thorne C; Newell ML; Department of Paediatric
       Epidemiology, Institute of Child Health,; London, UK.
 SO    Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1995 Sep;62(1):7-13. Unique Identifier
       : AIDSLINE MED/96100098
 AB    In view of the increasing heterosexual spread of HIV and reports of
       interventions which reduce the rate of mother to child transmission, a
       postal questionnaire survey was performed to determine the strategies
       for the management of pregnancy and delivery in HIV-infected women in 56
       obstetric centres in 21 European countries. A response rate of 96% was
       achieved. Antenatal testing for HIV infection was routinely offered in
       96% of centres. Pre- and post-test counselling was available in most
       centres and was mainly provided by the obstetrician; only 12 centres had
       trained counsellors. Compared to uninfected women, infected women made
       more antenatal visits in 36% of centres and had more screening tests in
       30% of centres. Some delivery procedures (e.g. use of scalp electrodes)
       were less common in infected than in uninfected women. Nearly half the
       centres prescribe Zidovudine to infected women; most prescribed it
       specifically to reduce HIV vertical transmission. Disinfection of the
       birth canal and elective caesarean sections for infected women were
       routinely performed in 22% and 18% of centres, respectively. The survey
       revealed different approaches to the management of infected pregnant
       women both between and within countries, which may partly be due to
       limited knowledge of what constitutes optimal management, especially in
       relation to interventions to reduce vertical transmission. Randomised
       control trials are required to establish the most effective
       intervention.
 DE    Blood Transfusion  Delivery  Disease Transmission, Vertical  Europe
       Female  Hospitals  Human  HIV Infections/DRUG THERAPY/*PREVENTION &
       CONTROL/TRANSMISSION  Mass Screening  Pregnancy  *Pregnancy
       Complications, Infectious  Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
       Substance Abuse, Intravenous  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
       Zidovudine/THERAPEUTIC USE  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

