Knowledge of their children's HIV status in HIV-positive mothers attending a genitourinary medicine clinic in the UK

Objectives To determine whether HIV-infected mothers knew the HIV status of their children, enabling the offer of targeted testing of children at risk. Methods All HIV-positive women attending the genitourinary medicine clinic at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom were asked whether they had children and the age, HIV status and residence of their children using a standardized proforma. Results A total of 297 HIV-positive women were included in a prospective audit. Two hundred and fifty-four women had 551 offspring; 143 had a total of 217 children aged <16 years. Of those children, 118 lived in the United Kingdom. Of the 99 children living abroad, 71% were living in Zimbabwe, 21% in other African countries (Zambia, Kenya, Burundi, Malawi and South Africa) and 5% in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries. Of the 118 children living in the UK, mothers knew the HIV status in 49 (42%), of whom nine (18%) were HIV positive. A further two older offspring were also HIV positive. Mothers were aware of the HIV status in significantly fewer children staying in the country of origin: nine (9%; P<0.05), of whom four were known to be HIV positive. All HIV-positive children living in the United Kingdom were under the care of paediatricians with special expertise in paediatric HIV infection. Conclusions The HIV status of the majority of children of HIV-positive immigrant mothers is unknown, particularly those children who remain in their country of origin.