Effects of Traditional Practices on Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections from Mother to Child Transmission in Tanzania

The study was conducted in Dodoma Municipal, Bahi and Chamwino District. The objective was to analyze the relationship between STIs including HIV and The study involved 530 respondents. Descriptive analysis was used to examine the relationship between STIs and mother to child transmission. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample; questionnaire, checklist, interview and focus group discussion were used for data collection. Cross tabulation and logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between the Transmitted Infections and HIV and AIDS and mother to child transmission The study found that during pregnancy, mother delivering outside the health facility facilitates the HIV transmission from mother to child.. Tribe was highly statistically significant (P=0.000). The findings show that about 15.5% of women were assisted by traditional birth attendance, 46.7 of women delivery at home and 37.8% of women delivery on the way to the hospital. Also the findings indicated that 85.3% of women were aware that breast feeding may cause HIV transmission from mother to child. The study concludes that HIV transmission from Mother to child transmission is known in Dodoma, Bahi and Chamwino districts. Some women who delivered outside the health facilities was very high where the likelihood of HIV transmission from mother to child It is recommended that both men and women should be encouraged to provide support on women delivering in the health centre and women be encouraged to deliver at the health facilities. Women's marriage preparation (kitchen and bag Party) forums should be used to disseminate messages on the prevention of mother to child prevention