Abstract
The advent of more generalized HIV screening in pregnancy, together with the increased prevalence of HIV in women, is bound to result in increased demand for prenatal (antenatal) care of the HIV positive. Much antenatal care is carried out in the UK by the General Practitioners (GPs). This study examined the demands and preparedness of 112 GPs in an area of the highest UK HIV concentration. Only 7.3 percent of the respondents had HIV-positive patients at their clinics. Over 55 percent reported no women with high risk at their clinics. This may be an inaccurate figure reflected by the fact that many GPs did not see it as their role to provide comprehensive counselling—the very process which may highlight risky behavior. Overall there was high endorsement of HIV testing in various forms during pregnancy. Well over half of the GPs also thought women would terminate their pregnancies in the presence of HIV despite the international literature to the contrary. Over 90 percent of GPs wanted to be informed of HIV test results. Only 10 percent indicated skill in counselling HIV-positive patients; and clearly they will need training or access to professional input for their patients. Comparisons were made between GPs who rated their counselling proficiency as low with those who rated themselves highly.
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