HIV retesting among pregnant women: a literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) occurrence in pregnancy remains high, with 11 in 1,087 women infected during pregnancy, resulting in 1% of seroconversion risk and HIV incidence rate of 4 per 100 pregnant women annually. In addition, sexual activities in the first trimester of pregnancy are more frequent than in the third trimester and during postpartum. The aim of this review was to investigate HIV retesting among pregnant women, and influential factors of HIV testing. Material and methods: This study employed a search through three databases, such as Wiley, ProQuest, and PubMed. Articles selected for analysis were published between 2010 and 2020, written English, and were primary articles. Critical appraisal stage used a checklist from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Results: There were 8 articles selected from Africa and America. Research designs included cohort studies, qualitative papers, and randomized controlled trials. HIV retesting for pregnant women was found cost-saving, beneficial for their future health, and economically and emotionally advantageous, while disadvantage was an extra cost in areas with low HIV prevalence. The influential factors were the government policy, antenatal care, and HIV-integrated services as well as the role of healthcare providers. HIV test can generally be performed in the third trimester or 3 months after the first test. Conclusions: HIV retesting among pregnant women is crucial for the health of the mother, child, and family. It is highly associated with false HIV-negative status, which can be otherwise positive due to getting infected during pregnancy.