Role of traditional birth attendants in preventing perinatal transmission of HIV

摘要

Worldwide, more than one million women infected with HIV are estimated to deliver babies without professional help each year To extend the benefits of recent advances in perinatal HIV research to women in rural communities is a tremendous challenge As global efforts to prevent perinatal transmission of HIV expand, traditional birth attendants could play a key role in implementing effective interventions in poor rural settings It may be possible to train traditional birth attendants to perform confidential HIV counselling and testing With appropriate training, supervision, and support, traditional birth attendants could offer HIV prevention services and help with antiretroviral prophylaxis at delivery.