Mothers’ attitudes towards using services preventing mother-to-child HIV/AIDS transmission in Zimbabwe: An interview survey

Background In developing countries vertical (mother-to-child) transmission of HIV/AIDS is responsible for 5–10% of all new HIV infections. HIV positive mothers can transmit HIV to their babies during pregnancy, childbirth and breast-feeding. Anti-retroviral drugs are effective in reducing the risk of vertical transmission of HIV/AIDS. Aim The main focus was to describe mothers’ attitudes towards using services for preventing vertical transmission of HIV/AIDS. Design A non-experimental, descriptive design with a survey approach was used. Setting The study was conducted at one hospital in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, that offers both prenatal clinic and maternity, including prevention of vertical transmission, services. Participants Fifty pregnant women, who attended prenatal clinics in Bulawayo and who booked to deliver their babies in the hospitalʹs maternity section, were interviewed. Method A structured interview survey was used to collect data. Results The interviewed women required more knowledge about preventing vertical transmission of HIV/AIDS. Many pregnant women would not use the services available for the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV/AIDS, for personal, financial and cultural reasons. However, the most important barriers preventing pregnant women from using free prevention of vertical transmission services were structural ones. Only pregnant women who attended prenatal clinics and delivered their babies in hospital could access these services. Prenatal and delivery services might be beyond the financial reach of many Zimbabwean women, making prevention of vertical transmission services inaccessible to them. Free infant formula could not be accessed at hospitals and clinics because of transport costs.