Woman's Hospital - Woman's Hospital Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Prevention Program

For nearly a decade, this program has fought to stop the spread of HIV to infants during childbirth. Provided at no cost to the patient, the program features specially trained nurses who care for HIV-positive mothers-to-be by scheduling appointments, managing medications, and promoting safe sex. Once the infants are born, Woman's places them on anti-retroviral medication for six weeks. This is the only hospital-based, non-public program of its kind in Louisiana.

What is it?

For nearly a decade, this program has fought to stop the spread of HIV to infants during childbirth. Provided at no cost to the patient, the program features specially trained nurses who care for HIV-positive mothers-to-be by scheduling appointments, managing medications, and promoting safe sex. Once the infants are born, Woman's places them on anti-retroviral medication for six weeks. This is the only hospital-based, non-public program of its kind in Louisiana.

Who is it for?

HIV-positive pregnant women throughout the greater Baton Rouge area.

Why do they do it?

Baton Rouge has the nation's second highest incidence of new HIV cases. Without this program, up to 40 percent of HIV-infected women could pass the disease to their children.

Impact

In 2002, Woman's cared for six women; that number has steadily grown to more than 35 mothers annually. Since 2005, Woman's has not had an HIV-positive baby born in its program.

Contact: Pam Ellis, BSN, CMC, ACRN
Clinical Services Coordinator
Telephone: 225-924-8566
E-mail: pam.ellis@womans.org