HIV-1 seroprevalence rates in women and relinquishment of infants to the state in St Petersburg, Russia, 2002

The effectiveness of rapid HIV-1 testing and nevirapine prophylaxis for HIV-infected mothers without prenatal care has been shown. We found that from 1998 to 2002, HIV-1 seroprevalence in women giving birth in St Petersburg, Russia increased 100-fold: from 0•013% to 1•3% (p< 0•0001). HIV-1 seroprevalence was 8% (114 of 1466) in women without prenatal care and 1% (376 of 37 645) in those with prenatal care (p < 0•0001). All 376 HIV-1-infected women with, and 41% (47 of 114) of HIV-1-infected women without prenatal care received intrapartum antiretroviral therapy (p < 0•0001). In women who were HIV-1 positive, 26% (30 of 114) of those without prenatal care and 4% (13 of 371) of those with prenatal care relinquished their infants to the custody of the state, compared with 1% (354 of 37621) of HIV-1-negative women (p < 0•0001).