HIV Status in Sero-discordant Couples: Prevalence and Pattern Among Pregnant Women in Plateau State, Nigeria - HIV Status in Sero-discordant Couples: Prevalence and Pattern Among Pregnant Women in Plateau State, Nigeria - Open Access Pub

Nigeria is one of the high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa for HIV/AIDS and contributes to reproductive health morbidities and mortalities. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of HIV-discordant rate among pregnant women in Plateau state Nigeria. The study sought to determine the prevalence and trend of HIV sero-discordance among pregnant women in Plateau state, Nigeria. The study was a 5-year descriptive analysis of HIV sero-discordance among pregnant women accessing prenatal care and their partners in Plateau state, Nigeria based on data generated between January 2012 and December 2016. The data was disaggregated by year, HIV concordant negative, HIV concordant positive, and HIV sero-discordant prevalence in the software and analysis were done using excel to obtained the proportions and trend of HIV sero-discordant prevalence among the antenatal population. Out of a total of 7,851 partners of pregnant women studied, 969 (16.3%) were HIV sero-discordant, 5,795 (73.8%) were HIV concordant negative, and 773 (9.9%) were HIV concordant positive. HIV sero-discordant positive males accounted for 12.3% while females were 4.0%. The prevalence of HIV sero-discordance was low with a high proportion of HIV positive male partners in Plateau state with grave public health implications for new HIV infections among partners and eroding the gains made in the Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. DOI10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-18-2236 West and Central Africa had approximately 6.5 million people living with HIV in 2015 and women accounted for nearly 60%. In the same year, the region recorded 410,000 new HIV infections and 330,000 people died of AIDS-related causes.1 Nigeria is second to South Africa with the highest burden of HIV globally and in 2014, the country was home to 3,391,546 people living with HIV and recorded 227,518 new HIV infections with males contributing 103,917 and females 123,601 new HIV infections. In the same year, the number of deaths from AIDS-related causes was put at 174,253 in Nigeria.2 The ambitious goal of the global community to end AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 will be feasible only when a reduction in HIV transmission through 90-90-90 is matched to a much more robust reduction in the risk of HIV acquisition.3,4 It is reported that sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest prevalence and incidence of HIV infection globally, mostly from heterosexual transmission.5,6The prevalence of HIV among HIV sero-discordant heterosexual couples is high in most SSA countries,7,8 and although the