June 2007

Strengthening PMTCT Programs
Studies explore strategies to promote adherence and follow-up care

Psychosocial support, such as that offered by the mothers2mothers program, plays an important role in helping women follow PMTCT recommendations (story). Photo credit: Courtesy of m2m

Results of clinical trials in low resource settings which showed that giving a short course of antiretroviral therapy could prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child were hailed as an enormous breakthrough in the fight against pediatric HIV infection. But soon after the establishment of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs, research conducted by Horizons and others revealed a multitude of service delivery and sociocultural barriers that limit the number of women who successfully access PMTCT programs and follow PMTCT recommendations. On the supply side, the limited capacity of health systems in many countries has resulted in weak links to HIV-related services and gaps in service provision and follow-up of HIV-positive mothers and their babies.

This issue of Horizons Report features findings from subsequent studies that examine services and strategies to strengthen PMTCT programs. These strategies include training HIV-positive women to provide psychosocial support to mothers; reaching women with information, support, and referrals through community-based activities; and creating stronger linkages during the postnatal period between mothers and treatment and care. The articles draw on operations research studies in South Africa, India, Kenya, and Swaziland, and offer important lessons for improving PMTCT programs and reducing pediatric HIV infections worldwide.

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© 2007 The Population Council, Inc.

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See Also

• FRONTIERS

• Population Council Infants and Children

• Population Council Journals and Newsletters

• Population Council Prevention

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This page updated 6 July 2007

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