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Assessment of Knowledge of Women about Prevention of Mother to Child
Transmission of HIV in Gauteng, South Africa
Lebitsi M Modiba (PhD)
Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, Preller
Street, Muckleneuk Ridge, Pretoria, South Africa. Email:
modiblm@unisa.ac.za
Downloaded
31 March 2012
Accepted 3
May, 2012
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Aim: The purpose of the study is to
assess the knowledge of pregnant women on the prevention of mother
to child transmission of HIV.
Method: This is a qualitative study and data were collected between
March 2007 and July 2008. This study was conducted in a level three
(according to the South African levels of maternity care i.e. it is
a referral hospital) academic hospital in South Africa. Fourteen
women consented to participate in the study; two were used in the
pilot study. The remaining twelve women who consented to participate
in the study were interviewed, until saturation was reached. After,
ten women were interviewed. The age of the participants varied
between 18 and 32 years, six had primary education, four had
secondary education and eight were employed. Almost all of the
participants had electricity and running water in their houses.
Findings: Four themes were identified, these are; mixed knowledge of
mother-to-child transmission, knowledge of infant feeding, knowledge
of Caesarean section and termination of pregnancy, and knowledge of
adoption.
Discussions: The participants expressed hunger for knowledge on how
to live with the diagnosis and on how to continue with the
prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme. Although, the
participants reported that they were well counselled and that they
were so overwhelmed by the diagnosis that they could not benefit
from all the information they were given about the
Prevention-of-Mother-To-Child-Transmission programme. The
participants felt that they were given too much information on a
short time, resulting in them being unable to internalise the
results and information
Keywords: Prevention of mother to child transmission, HIV/AIDS,
caesarean section, South Africa.
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