An assessment of antiretroviral drug initiation to pregnant women of unknown HIV status during labour and delivery in Cameroon.

Background: Evidence from previous research has shown that antiretroviral (ARV) drug initiation to seropositive pregnant women could significantly contribute to eliminating new paediatric infections even when started during labour and delivery. This study therefore seeks to assess missed opportunities for ARV initiation during this critical period of pregnancy to improve outcomes of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes in Cameroon.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on the 2014 PMTCT data for labour and delivery among pregnant women of unknown HIV status within health facilities in six regions of Cameroon (428 eligible facilities).