Prevalence of HIV among pregnant women in Jalandhar district of Punjab

ABSTRACT

Background: Estimating the HIV seroprevalence in a low-risk population such as pregnant women provide essential information for monitoring trend of HIV in the general population and assist in prevention from mother-to-child transmission. Aim and Objectives: To assess and compare the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women during the past 5 years in Jalandhar dist. of Punjab (2016–2021). Materials and Methods: All pregnant women coming to Antenatal Clinic in urban and rural areas, in Government health institutions were tested for HIV as a mandatory procedure, to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child. The results of these tests were taken from HIMS reports of rural and urban health institutions in Jalandhar district, from local health authority for the past 5 years (2016–2021), after taking permission from Institutional Ethics Committee. Comparison of year-wise positivity was done after statistical analysis. It was a retrospective cross-sectional study of rural and urban population. Results: The data shows that HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Jalandhar District for the past 5 years shows a decreasing trend. Prevalence which was 0.17% in 2016–2017 was reduced to 0.11% in 2020–2021. Conclusion: Prevalence of HIV among pregnant women has shown a decreasing trend in Jalandhar district during the past 5 years (2016–2021).