HIV Infection Among Pregnant Women in a Vietnamese Population: Prevalence and Associated Factors.

Background: In pregnant women, HIV infection warrants special attention due to the high risk of complications during pregnancy and the increased likelihood of fetal HIV exposure. Consequently, screening for HIV in pregnant women within the community and identifying associated risk factors are essential.

Objective: The study aims to investigate the prevalence of HIV infection and the associated risk factors in pregnant women.

Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study that utilized convenience sampling and was conducted between 2018 and 2020 at 107 commune health stations, 8 district health centers, and the Obstetrics Department of Vinh Long Provincial General Hospital.

Results: A total of 18,034 pregnant women, with a median age of 28 years. Fifty-one cases (0.3%) tested positive for HIV. The risk factors associated with an increased likelihood of HIV infection included having multiple sexual partners, drug addiction, smoking, and engaging in unprotected sex. In the multivariate model, only multiple sexual partners, drug addiction and alcohol consumption were independent factors that significantly increased the risk of HIV infection among pregnant women.

Conclusion: The study among pregnant women indicated that the HIV exposure rate within the community is below 1.0%. Unsafe sexual behaviors with multiple partners were identified as the most significant risk factor for HIV exposure among pregnant women.