  
HIV screening program in pregnancy deemed cost-effective
Last Updated: 2001-04-25 19:31:13 EDT (Reuters Health)
WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) - A voluntary HIV screening program for pregnant women implemented in California appears to be cost effective compared with the cost of caring for HIV-positive neonates.
In a study reported in the March issue of The Journal of Reproductive Medicine, Dr. Manuel E. Rivera-Alsina, from Methodist Medical Center, in Dallas, and colleagues used a business decision theory analysis model to evaluate the cost effectiveness of the Naval Medical Center San Diego Program from 1995 to 1997.
The program consisted of voluntary HIV screening for all pregnant women. Women with a positive test would undergo evaluation and would possibly receive prophylactic antiretroviral treatment, the authors state.
During the study period, 11,925 women accepted screening and 23 women declined. The incidence of HIV seroprevalence in the women who were screened was zero. Based on national US statistics, 17.88 positive cases would have been expected in a population of this size.
The cost for the entire screening program was $103,748, the investigators note. However, the cost for treating just one HIV-positive newborn ranges from $100,000 to $200,000, they state.
"During the study period we did not identify any positive cases, possibly because of the low incidence of HIV in our population or the total number of the sample," the researchers state. "Based on our analysis, we think that our voluntary screening program is still cost effective since finding a positive maternal screen would allow us to prevent HIV transmission to the fetus."
The education offered to mothers through the screening program "helps them understand the nonmonetary issues related to HIV-positive newborns," the authors add.
J Reprod Med 2001;46:243-248.
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