Effectiveness of Antenatal Screening for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis in the Netherlands
Author Information
Author(s): Op de Coul Eline LM, Hahné Susan, van Weert Yolanda WM, Oomen Petra, Smit Colette, van der Ploeg Kitty PB, Notermans Daan W, Boer Kees, van der Sande Marianne AB
Primary Institution: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Hypothesis
Is antenatal screening for HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis effective in preventing mother-to-child transmission?
Conclusion
The antenatal screening program effectively detects HIV, HBV, and syphilis in pregnant women and prevents transmission to their children.
Supporting Evidence
- Prior to screening, 5-10 children were born with HIV annually; after screening, this number dropped to 1 per year.
- Congenital syphilis cases were diagnosed in fewer than 5 newborns annually.
- 5-10 HIV, 50-75 HBV, and 10 syphilis cases in newborns were estimated to be prevented annually due to screening.
Takeaway
The Netherlands screens pregnant women for HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis to keep babies safe, and it works really well.
Methodology
The study compared screening results from pregnant women with data from other sources to evaluate effectiveness.
Potential Biases
Potential overestimation of syphilis infections due to false positives.
Limitations
Missing confirmatory test results may have led to underestimation of prevalence.
Participant Demographics
Majority of women originated from countries with a generalized HIV epidemic, mainly sub-Saharan Africa.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.002
Confidence Interval
0.04 - 0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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