Prevalence and Determinants of HIV Infections among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania

Background and study aim: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevalence among pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa is a significant public health issue, with the region accounting for about 85% of global cases. In Tanzania, the prevalence among pregnant women has shown varying trends over the years, around 7% to 5.6%. This study assessed HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Iringa region of Tanzania and identified the determinants associated with the prevalence to inform targeted public health interventions. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania, and employed a quantitative cross-sectional design from June 12 to July 15, 2024. The sample comprised 545 pregnant women selected from 12 public healthcare facilities. Data was collected from antenatal clinic cards and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine frequencies, percentages, and statistical relationships. Results: The study revealed a moderately high HIV prevalence of 2.4% among pregnant women, with the majority (97.6%) being HIV-negative. Higher prevalence rates were identified in women aged 20-35, married women, secondary education level, and low income. However, all variables were not statistically significant with HIV prevalence (P-value > 0.05). Conclusion: The moderately high HIV prevalence reported among pregnant women in this study remains a significant public health concern, underscoring the critical need for targeted interventions for this vulnerable population.