Lack of knowledge about mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention in pregnant women at Tijuana General Hospital, Baja California, Mexico.

The objective of this study was to identify determinants of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge regarding mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) among pregnant women at Tijuana General Hospital, Baja California, Mexico. Between March and November 2003, patients from the prenatal care (n = 1294) and labor and delivery (L&D) units (n = 495) participated in a cross-sectional study to measure HIV knowledge. Less than one-third (30%) knew that HIV could be transmitted to a child during delivery, and 36% knew that HIV could be transmitted by breast-feeding. Only 27% knew that an MTCT could be prevented. Prenatal patients were more likely to know that MTCT was preventable (prenatal: 31% versus L&D 25%; P = .02). Logistic regression indicated that prenatal patients (odds ratio = 1.49, confidence interval 1.07-2.07) were more likely to know that HIV could be transmitted through breast-feeding. Overall, both groups had poor knowledge regarding MTCT of HIV.