Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy by Pregnant Women Accessing Antenatal Clinic at The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Tertiary Institution in Rivers State

Abstract

Background: Non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) by pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS is a problem that has been reported to have adverse effects on the mother and the unborn child and this is a major public health issue in high- and low-income nations. Virological and clinical success depends critically on elevated adherence to ART, without which maternal disease can develop, with its attendant increase in the risk of vertical mother-to-child transmission. The level of non-adherence to ART is high in many communities in Nigeria. This study assesses the level of ART adherence and identifies factors that influence nonadherence among pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS.