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HIV Prevalence Among Pregnant Women Aged 15-24

Wikis > HIV Prevalence Among Pregnant Women Aged 15-24

Definition

As per the United Nations Development Group, HIV prevalence among 15–24 year-old pregnant women is defined as “the percentage of pregnant women aged 15–24 whose blood samples test positive for HIV.”UNDG. (2003). Indicators for Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals. The United Nations. New York: The United Nations. This indicator addresses Goal 6 of the Millennium Development Goals , to combat HIV/AIDS/AIDS, Malaria and Women and other diseases.

Rationale

HIV infection leads to AIDS. Without treatment, average survival from the time of infection is about nine years. Access to treatment is uneven, and no vaccine is currently available.
About half of all new HIV cases are among people 24 years of age or younger. In generalized epidemics (with prevalence consistently at more than 1 percent among pregnant women), the infection rate for pregnant women is similar to the overall rate for the adult population. Therefore, the indicator is a measure of the spread of the epidemic. In low-level and concentrated epidemics, HIV prevalence is monitored in groups with high-risk behavior because prevalence among pregnant women is low.The World Bank Group. (2004). HIV Prevalence Among Women Aged 15-24. Retrieved July 8, 2010, from The World Bank Group: Millennium Development Goals: http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/GMIS/gdmis.do?siteId=2&contentId=Content_t18&menuId=LNAV01HOME1

Gender Issues

Pregnant women are chosen for clinical surveillance, not because of gender issues, but because they offer a unique opportunity to monitor HIV/AIDS.
Throughout the world, the unequal social status of women places them at higher risk for contracting HIV. Women are at a disadvantage when it comes to access to information about HIV prevention, the ability to negotiate safe sexual encounters and access to treatment for HIV/AIDS once infected. As a result of those inequities and the dynamics of the epidemic, the proportion of women among people living with HIV/AIDS is rising in many regions.

Data Issues

Data for the 18th indicator of the Millennium Development Goals is not available because most developing member countries (DMCs) do not compile HIV prevalence among 15-24 year old pregnant women since they do not have administrative reporting systems on all pregnant women, by age group.Maligalig, D. (2003). Measuring the Millennium Development Goals Indicators. Asian Development Bank. Bangkok: ADB.

References

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