Antenatal HIV Screening

The Antenatal HIV Screening programme has been running in the Waikato District Health Board since March 2006.  We perform approximately 9000 first antenatal blood tests per year.  When first antenatal blood is ordered it will test the pregnant woman for syphilis, hepatitis B, rubella, FBC, Rhesus factor and HIV unless tests are specifically excluded. This applies to requests from both Pathlab and the Waikato District Health Board laboratories.  Thank you for your ongoing support of this programme.  We have had a greater than 99% uptake of antenatal HIV testing in our region.

A brief discussion with the woman regarding the nature of the currently recommended antenatal blood tests (including HIV) is always required.

Rights 4 to 7 of the New Zealand Health and Disability Code require:

• the right to services of an appropriate standard
• the right to effective communication
• the right to be fully informed
• the right to make an informed choice and give informed consent.

If the woman declines one or more of the antenatal blood tests, this is to be written clearly within the comments section of the laboratory request form.  We recommend the use of the information pamphlet from the National Screening Unit to assist your brief discussion with the pregnant woman.  These have been supplied to all General Practitioners and Midwives or can be printed off www.everybody.co.nz under the heading of pregnancy-antenatal blood tests.

The National Screening Unit has also released in February 2008 the Guidelines for Maternity Providers offering antenatal HIV screening in New Zealand. This comprehensive document is available at www.nsu.govt.nz

To find out more, visit www.healthywomen.org.nz

Contacts

• Dr Graham Mills, HIV Specialist
  Telephone: 021 289 5997
  
  
• Dr Jane Morgan, HIV Specialist 
  Telephone: 021 341 972
  
  
• Caroline Wharry, HIV Clinical Nurse Specialist 
  Telephone: 021 549 709
  

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