HC Deb 24 February 1994 vol 238 cc353-5W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnant women have been found to be HIV positive in each of the last five years; and what are the projected figures for the next two years.

Prevalence of HIV—l Positive Women Identified from Unlinked Surveys in England 1988–93
Survey Group and Year Area/Region Number tested Number HIV infected Prevalence per cent.
Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics
1990 2London 42,737 77 0.180
Outside London 40,382 4 0.010
1991 1London 54,338 114 0.210

Mr. Sackville

The table shows the results of unlinked anonymised surveillance of pregnant women and neonates. All babies born to HIV-infected women will carry materanal antibodies to HIV at birth, regardless of whether they have been infected with the virus, so the dried blood spot figures reflect the infection status of the mother rather than the babies.

Many HIV-infected women do not know their HIV status. It is estimated that, up to 1992, in south east England, including London, the proportion of pregnant HIV-infected women whose infection was recognised at the time of birth was under 20 per cent.

The Department does not have projections of the number of pregnant HIV-infected women over the next two years.

Survey Group and Year Area/Region Number tested Number HIV infected Prevalence per cent.
Outside London 90,883 15 0.017
1992 1London 52,354 137 0.260
Outside London 78,864 6 0.008
Dried blood spots neonates
19881 Inner London 12,721 4 0.030
Outer London 18,288 6 0.030
Outside London 20,649 1 0.005
19891 Inner London 31,162 21 0.070
Outer London 43,288 18 0.040
Outside London 55,676 3 0.005
19901 Inner London 28,384 39 0.140
Outer London 38,769 16 0.040
Outside London 49,789 5 0.010
1991 1Inner London 34,733 55 0.160
1Outer London 47,945 50 0.100
Outside London 70,076 5 0.007
1992 Inner London 47,769 102 0.210
Outer London 59,177 58 0.100
Outside London 143,156 12 0.008
1Survey coordinated by the Institute of Child Health, London (ICH).
2The survey is based mainly in the Inner London area.