THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE PREVENTION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HIVAMONG PREGNANT WOMEN AT OLUKU, OVIA NORTHEAST LGA, BENIN CITY

Human immunodeficiency virus is the greatest challenge to human kind in the 21 ST century. Mother-to-child transmission of this virus infection is the transmission of the HIV virus from an HIV infected mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding. This study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women toward the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS among women attending antenatal care at Oluku primary health care center, Oluku Ovia-Northeast local government area, Benin-city, Edo state. 10 The population of the study constituted 115 pregnant women who attend antenatal care at Oluku primary health care center, Oluku. A sample of 58 pregnant women was selected using random sampling technique of balloting by replacement. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained and the resulted reliability coefficient is 0.711. The data collected was analysed with frequency, percentage and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (r). Findings shows that most the respondents have moderate knowledge about mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It also shows that there no significant relationship between the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards the prevention of mother-to- child transmission of HIV amongst pregnant women attending antenatal care at Oluku primary health care center.