Ricardo Figueroa-Damián*, Noemi Plazola-Camacho and Saul Flores-Medina
In Mexico, prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant women has been estimated at 0.1%, while perinatal transmission accounts for 2% of all cases; nevertheless, this kind of transmission is the main cause of HIV infection in children under 15 years of age, with about 70% of the total cases in individuals of that age. The widespread screening for HIV infection in pregnant women increases the chances to recognize infected women, allowing the establishment of prophylactic measures against vertical transmission. We conducted a case-control study in order to establish the socio-epidemiological profile of pregnant women who rejected HIV testing. From July 2012 to December 2014 at the National Institute of Perinatology, Mexico, city, a total of 9,773 rapid HIV tests were carried out in pregnant women. The socio-epidemiological profile of those patients who rejected HIV testing was: married women with unpaid work and without history of sexual transmitted infections. We concluded that married women are prone to decline rapid HIV testing.