Intrapartum HIV Screening Revisited. Which Approach is Appropriate for Sub – Saharan Africa Today: Opt-in, Opt-out or both?

Abstract

Background: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the Human Immuno Virus (HIV) remains an opportunity not to be missed in case future remarkable declines in HIV associated morbidity and mortality are envisaged. Many pregnant women, both in the developed and developing countries today are still received in labor rooms with unknown or redoubtable HIV serostatus. Ethical tensions arising from compulsory (opt in) or consenting (opt out) strategies regarding the labor room HIV testing remain unresolved. Conclusion: This paper presents some neglected and potentially useful avenues that could be exploited especially in high HIV prevalence settings like Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors also highlight key areas for future research.