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Routine prenatal screening for HIV in a low-prevalence setting
D M Patrick1, D M Money, J Forbes
1British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Society, Vancouver. david.patrick@bccdc.hnet.bc.ca
Summary
Routine prenatal HIV screening in British Columbia significantly reduced maternal-fetal HIV transmission rates. This public health intervention proved highly cost-effective, saving healthcare resources.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Assessing the impact of British Columbia's 1994 prenatal HIV screening guidelines.
- Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of universal HIV screening during pregnancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effect of new guidelines on maternal-fetal HIV transmission.
- To estimate the economic benefits of prenatal HIV screening programs.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pregnancy and delivery data.
- Analysis of HIV screening practices, transmission rates, and associated costs.
- Utilized seroprevalence data to estimate expected cases.
Main Results:
- HIV testing rates increased from 55% to 76% in one hospital.
- One case of maternal-fetal HIV transmission occurred among 13 live births to identified HIV-positive women.
- Prevented infections resulted in net savings of $165,586, with a saving of $75,266 per case.
Conclusions:
- Routine prenatal HIV screening effectively reduces maternal-fetal HIV transmission in low-prevalence settings.
- The cost-effectiveness of HIV screening rivals other established healthcare interventions.
- Implementation of screening guidelines demonstrates significant public health and economic benefits.