Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post Feb 14, 1998
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Dr Praphan Phanuphak, director of the Thai Red Cross Society's Programme on Aids, said initially it was thought the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV was 25 percent, but recent findings revealed it has dropped to about 18 percent.
Dr Praphan explained the decline was probably due to more care taken by gynaecologists in the delivery process. It is believed the HIV transmission takes place maximally during delivery.
On the other hand, when given AZT under the Aids Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) 076 regimen, the transmission rate dropped to 5.4 percent, lower than the eight percent initially stated, he said.
Dr Praphan said though the regimen is considered the most effective way in reducing the transmission, it is made available only to a small number of HIV positive pregnant women.
He said though it costs some 10,000 baht to save each child born to HIV positive pregnant women, hospitals are unable to obtain a budget sufficient for some 20,000 HIV positive pregnant women each year.
The Thai Red Cross Society has joined with a toy importer, Hagemeyer Ltd, in raising funds from a percentage of Play-Doh toys sold to assist the "Save a Child's Life from Aids" project under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali between February 18-March 2 at the Emporium department store.
The project, carried out by the Thai Red Cross Society, aims at providing AZT to HIV positive pregnant women who approach ante-natal clinics in their early stage of pregnancy.
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