| dc.description.abstract | Transmission of HIV from mother to child (MTCT) contributes to 18% of the new HIV infections
in Uganda. This research investigated how the clinical and biological risk factors were associated
to the transmission of HIV from mothers to children in Uganda. Secondary data was collected
from the patient charts of 200 HIV-positive mothers and their children who accessed services at
Kisenyi Health Centre IV between 2017 and 2022. The study accounted for the fact that 22.5% of
the newborns were HIV positive, leading to the selection of a probit regression model as the best-
fitting model for the study variables. This model provided the lowest Akaike Information Criterion
(AIC) value, with the child's HIV status as the primary outcome variable under examination.
The study results revealed that the type of antiretroviral (ARV) regimen administered to the mother
significantly influenced the HIV status of the child. The findings suggested that among the
different types of antiretroviral (ARV) regimens, specifically, the regimen type called
AZT/3TC/NVP (Zidovudine, Lamivudine, Nevirapine), was associated with a statistically
significant increase in the odds of HIV positivity in children(OR= 5.12 ; p = 0.016). The odds of
being HIV positive were 2.49 times higher for children whose mothers are receiving
ABC/3TC/LPV regimen compared to the reference regimen TDF/3TC/EFV. The p-value (0.017)
indicated statistical significance at 5% confidence interval. The research also found out that the
HIV viral load of the mother plays a pivotal role as a biological determinant affecting the HIV
status of the child. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant correlation (p=0.00)
between the HIV viral load of the mother and the HIV status of the child, with an odds ratio
(OR=5.06; p=0.00). This suggested that if the HIV viral load was above 1000 copies/mL, the
likelihood of the child being HIV positive was 5 times higher, indicating a highly significant
statistical outcome.
These findings highlighted the importance of both clinical decision-making, such as the choice of
type of ARV regimen, and the monitoring of the mother's HIV viral load (biological factor) during
pregnancy to optimize the chances of delivering an HIV-negative child. The study also
recommends that further research and interventions could build upon these findings to improve the
overall outcomes of HIV treatment in pediatric populations. | en_US |
