Open AccessBreastfeeding: the hidden barrier in Côte d'Ivoire's quest to eliminate mother‐to‐child transmission of HIV
Author(s) -
Buesseler Heather M,
Kone Ahoua,
Robinson Julia,
Bakor Albert,
Senturia Kirsten
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the international aids society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.724
H-Index - 62
ISSN - 1758-2652
DOI - 10.7448/ias.17.1.18853
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , medicine , cote d ivoire , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , transmission (telecommunications) , breast feeding , virology , environmental health , family medicine , pediatrics , humanities , telecommunications , philosophy , computer science
Côte d'Ivoire has one of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in West Africa. This study sought to understand how HIV‐positive women's life circumstances and interactions with the public health care system in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, influence their self‐reported ability to adhere to antiretroviral prophylaxis during pregnancy. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 HIV‐positive women not eligible for antiretroviral therapy and five health care workers recruited from four public clinics in which prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission services had been integrated into routine antenatal care. Results Self‐reported adherence to prophylaxis is high, but women struggle to observe (outdated) guidelines for rapid infant weaning. Women's positive interactions with health providers, their motivation to protect their infants and the availability of free antiretrovirals seem to override most potential barriers to prophylaxis adherence. Conclusions This study reveals the importance of considering the full continuum of prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission interventions, including infant feeding, instead of focussing primarily on prophylaxis for the mother and newborn.