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BIG WORRY
Published on: 11/5/2009.
by CAROL-ANN TUDOR
THE NUMBER OF REPEAT PREGNANCIES among women affected with HIV/AIDS is causing great concern for health officials.
Though there have been no mother to child HIV/AIDS transmissions in the last three years, some infected women are having as many as three to four pregnancies after being diagnosed and some have not been compliant with follow-up care.
Consultant paediatrician Dr. Anne St John revealed this yesterday at the launch of the policy on Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) at United Nation House.
"The mothers are supposed to come back to the clinic and if they do not we call them to find out why not and follow it up. They must bring their babies because they have a right to care and protection," she stated.
St John also lamented that many of the women did not disclose to their partners that they were infected with the virus.
She spoke of one incident where there had been a late diagnosis
"We have had one woman who was not infected in the first trimester but somehow along the way she had another partner and was infected later in her pregnancy and things like these cause late detections."
St John said over the last 15 years, documentation had revealed that there was a steady number of pregnant women in the early years, "then there was an alarming rise of 36 deliveries per year in 1999, followed by a gradual decrease in the trend, but in 2006 we had 39 pregnant women who delivered."
St John said that although there had been a reduction in transmission, she revealed that from 1996 to 2000 there were 151 pregnant women with 153 infants being born.
Between 2001 to 2002, there were 72 infected mothers and 75 infants which showed only a reduction at the time of 8 per cent.
She said however things had changed for the positive after the free introduction of AZT to all infected individuals.
"From the time of diagnosis any pregnant woman who is infected is referred to the QEH Antenatal clinic or followed up by a private obstetrician or referred to the Ladymeade clinic or an HIV specialist as her options for ongoing counselling."
She said in an effort to ensure that the children were not infected, some women were given caesarians if the infection rate was too high, while the child was given anti-retroviral therapy (ART) within 24 hours of birth, given breast feeding substitutes, specific paediatric follow ups, and a dedicated public health nurse/midwife to keep track of mother and child.
26 comment found!
selfish pigs : 11/11/2009
is what they are, along with anyone who argues that you can have a long healthy life with HIV. they must have it. that is selfish... may you all meet your Maker soon before you kill the rest of the world with your plagues.
High risk : 11/11/2009
Considering that it is highly unlikely that anyone will knowingly sleep with someone who is HIV+ then we are left to assume that these women are not disclosing their status. Yes it is always better to use a condom, but the truth is that as a relationship progress and trust enters, the condom use will cease, for those persons who insist that a person be tested for HIV, that will not always do the trick because unless the person tested consents to the information being passed on the other person is still none the wiser and ultimately has to rely on their partner being honest. Which brings us back to square one. So my suggestion to solve this problem...HIV is like pronouncing a death sentence on the unsuspecting individual (and for those of you who will conteract that argument and state that a person can have a long and happy life...the truth is that while your physical life may be prolonged, social isolation in itself is a form of death) therefore it is about high time we start charging persons with 2nd degree murder for knowingly passing on this virus.
Condomise : 11/10/2009
Well all you shocked people, what do you expect when the law says that health officials cannot divulge a person's HIV status even to their spouse. Don't you know that people are basically selfish and do not really care about anyone else but themselves? I have heard people say, that anytime they become HIV positive they are giving it to as many persons as they can. I have heard of tourists visiting two Caribbean islands in partiicular and infecting several men. They then returned to their European contries and wrote back either apologise or to advise their victims of what they had done. It is called man's inhumanity to man. Plain and simple. I even heard of one mother who delivered an HIV free baby. However she decided that she was going to breast feed the baby against the doctor's advice because if she didn't people would suspect that she had the virus. SO you see pretending that you don't have it, keeping up appearances, is far more important than protecting the life of your child. Go figure!! I am saddened but can't say I am shocked. The bright spark is that there has been no mother to child transmission for some three years now.
hiv : 11/10/2009
As usual The woman carries the blame. These women did not impregnate themselves nor give themselves HIV. Hello men use condoms or keep it in your pants.
Nasty State : 11/10/2009
What a shocker! Men are having unprotected sex, maybe your own partner and women who know they have aids/hiv are maybe passing on this disease that has a death sentence to unsuspecting men. If this were an isolated case one would have to ask if the woman was in her right mind, but the article indicates the plural. This is a very sickening situation, even Cain had a mark in order to be identified. You men out there better use condoms and aids/hiv-free women insist on condoms every time, that is the only solution. This is a wke up call for the "village rams" that still want to to have women here, there and all over.
: 11/9/2009
Bajan in Virginia, that is providing that every visitor gives his/her HIV status and is also quarantined.
AIDS vs TB : 11/8/2009
Bajan in Virginia, to some extent this was done in the days when TB was considered just as deadly as AIDS.But the rich ones, or privilege ones, were not isolated. They were looked after at home by some unsuspecting poor country girl. And you can imagine the result
: 11/8/2009
Ok 10 minutes
HIV/AIDS : 11/8/2009
There is a simple solution to combat the spread of Aids/Hiv. Anyone tested for the disease and found to have it should be placed in a quarantined facility and not allowed to be part to the greater society. Eventually, they will expire and the instances of infection will decrease and disappear.
: 11/7/2009
6 mins ???
: 11/6/2009
Really.... is 6 minutes worth of unprotected pleasure worth a shortend life and no real future for the children that you seek to bring into the world. In this day and age given the information that is out there regarding keeping oneself safe and free from infections, people are willing making a choice if they end up with AIDS/HIV or any other infection.
: 11/6/2009
Why is it that women/men are still having unprotected sex especially when they know they are HIV positive basically they are purposely infecting someone else then that person will go and infect someone else. I have 2 children and I told them from an early age if you are tempted to have a sex with someone use a condom I even went to the family planning clinic got a supply of condoms for the house. These days there is no time for embaressment or talkng about keeping yourself for that special one unfortunately people are tempted therefore better to be safe than sorry. I work in health and it is not only HIV/AIDS that society has to worry about there are so many sexualy transmitted deseases out there and the damage they cause is too numerous to mention here. Therefore all men and women should use and always have a supply of condoms they may not be 100% but they still offer protection. I know the Christian faternity will disagree with me but remember married people cheat on one another and guess what some do not use condoms. TIME TO WAKE UP USE A CONDOM
Smells : 11/6/2009
To hear about HIV positive female who have up to 3 pregnancies, you know that there are more than 9 men who are infected and taking it to other women. Barbados is in a mess!Women beware of those germ carriers. Men, beware of those good looking, shaping, dirty germ carriers.
slowwwwwwww : 11/5/2009
their are talking about PREGNANT WEMAN GOD! CAN MEN GET PREGNANT ????????
I GLAD : 11/5/2009
Who the hell has unprotected sex in this day and age? The act alone is a death wish regardless of their knowlege of being infected or not. Live by the sword, die by the sword PERIOD!
HIV and pregancy : 11/5/2009
Well I am truly surprised, I had no idea that the women of Barbados were so cold and plain wutless...the men are always being called good fuh nuttin..but at last here is conrete proof that the women are just plain old dont carish...not just about themselves but the very children they bring into the world... I agree with other writers who call for the legislation to deal with spreading HIV a criminal act, but would this truly stop the spread...it may not..but it will assist in detering people from engaging in such stupid selfish and heartless behaviour...I am more upset because my hard earn tax dollars have to help buy the necessary medication to keep them alive only for them to continue having children with men who also are as uncaring and more than likely they have jump ship and left the women pregnant... IN this day and age you are having unprotected sex first and then you are getting pregnant with a man who also is engaging in unprotected sex...look I finish writing because this only is upsetting me more and more
You Get What You Deserve If You're Stupid : 11/5/2009
If men and women are faithful to their spouses, then they will have nothing to worry about. It is that simple. If you want to hump everything that moves, then your humping days will be soon over. Get married, then stay married, committed and focused on your family. What idiot would be sleeping around, especially unprotected, in these days. If you do, then you get what you deserve.
Our Tendencies to Destroy Each Other : 11/5/2009
What about the men involved? Is it assumed that these men also have HIV? Is there criminality here: individuals who knowingly infect others? On the other hand, what idiot who have unpretected sex in the day and age unless the other person has proven that he or she has a clean bill of health? If you are not concerned enough to take the necessary steps to protect yourself, maybe you get what you deserve! It is time for people to take responsibility for their own wellness. If you can not be certain of the health of the other person, find others things to do with you time. If people are want to be reckless, I guess they will be!!!
this is sad... : 11/5/2009
is it ignorance or just bare selfishness that would keep people to continue having sex when they know that they have AIDS...do they feel that because no one told them that they don't have to tell? having worked in the hospital before, i have overheard female patients with AIDS boasting about how much sex they were going to have when they got out of the hospital, and talking about the lengerie they were going to buy. this is not a minor illness, it is a matter of life and death. people wake up! AIDS is out there...and it will get you.
Big Worry : 11/5/2009
This situation is surely one of concern. If persons cannot protect themselves and continue to pursue activities that put society at risk the society should act decisively to protect itself. Persons who have been diagnosed as pregnant with HIV should be flaged. It will obviously be difficult to police these individuals but the state (in my view) has a rite to flag thse individuals if they continue to be indiscriminate in their actions. One wonders if the millions spent on education in this area has really impacted these individual. This situation is not to be taken likely as it has negative implications for all Barbadians.
H.I.V pregnancies : 11/5/2009
How very sad that these women are not learning the lessons.Maybe more counselling is necessary. Dont they realize how expensive the drug therapy is and how much cost is involved? Why are these women allowed to abuse the system? IT seems that the laws have to be changed. A person who knowingly infects another or engages in sexual activity without informing the partners, should be charged with attempted murder.
No value for life.... : 11/5/2009
I am not judging anyone's lifestyle but as I have always stated, one way to curb the spread of HIV in Barbados is to charge those persons who have "willfully" infected innocent persons with the HIV virus. We are always blaming men for poor behaviour but look what these women are doing. The fact that persons do not respect the health of another by giving them a "death sentence" they should suffer the consequences of their actions. Charge these people with "attempted murder." This is ridiculous! Oh! Post their pictures as well...
GET TESTED : 11/5/2009
Why are these women still having unprotected sex with other men while they are pregnant and have the virus?I really think that it is unfair for these women not to tell their partners. A lot of the men that they are having sex with them are other people's husbands and boyfriends.This group of people that just don't care about anything or anyone, continue to spread this virus.They are not even getting treatment for themselves and keep having children putting the lives of these babies at risk.I want to say to all the men out there running around being the womanizer that you are, watch out! and all the men and women coming to Barbados for vacations and having your fling with these women and the men who are already sleeping with them. THIS SHOULD BE A WAKE UP CALL, GET TESTED!
BIG WORRY : 11/5/2009
That is unbelievable!I am at a loss for words.
Good Lord : 11/5/2009
That mean that they are still having unprotected sex. Are the fathers of these unborn children also HIV/AIDS victims? In my mind this raises two issues, (1) these unborn children are at great risk, and (2) If the fathers are not already HIV/AIDS victims, they also are at great risk since they would have had unprotected sex with these pregnant mothers. This is irresponsible behaviour at its heights. God help us all.
BIG WORRY : 11/5/2009
"THE NUMBER OF REPEAT PREGNANCIES among women affected with HIV/AIDS is causing great concern for health officials" This statement alone tells me that women are deliberating engaging in sex knowing fully well they are infected with HIV/AIDS. This is a deliberate act of practically murder they are committing. If they are going with partners knowing they have the virus no wonder the country cannot get a handle on it. Not only are they spreading the virus to their partners but to these unborn children who did not asked to come into this world to suffer more than they have to. After the second child of a HIV/AIDS mother she should be forced to go through tubal ligation to prevent these unwanted pregnancies with the possibility of child contracting disease from mother. If these women are intentionally going around spreading this disease the government should lock them up. Why sign someone else's death sentence bcause yours are already signed? Jersey Girl.
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