Globally the latest statistics of the world epidemic on HIV/AIDS shows that although majority of

women (87.13%) had heard about HIV/AIDS and knew some aspects of it the knowledge about
HIV/AIDS and how it can be transmitted, in the study carried out in Hongkong there was a
statistically significant difference in HIV/AIDS awareness between those with different level of
education. Those form four had the knowledge about HIV/AIDs and mode of transmission
compared to those below form four. In other case those in urban setup tend to have knowledge
on HIV/AIDS and mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS compared to those in rural areas who tend
to have knowledge deficit on HIV/AIDS and how it can be transmitted from one individual to
another therefore increasing the Impact of HIV/AIDS among the pregnant women. To stop
further epidemic spread as seen in sub-Sahara Africa it’s urgent to identify and intervene to
reduce risk behaviors among pregnant women (UNAIDS/WHO, NOV 2010)

In China in recent years there have been increase in the number of HIV positive pregnant women
attending the antenatal clinics south central China. A research was done among 290 women and
it was found that 55% ofwomen attending maternal child health clinics their level of awareness
and knowledge on HIV/AIDS was superficial, more education and knowledge about HIV/AIDS
was needed (international AIDS society: (2010) care of HIV infected women during pregnancy,
USA)

In Africa HIV/AIDS remains to be a major problem among the pregnant women, this is due to
inadequate knowledge on the importance of antenatal clinics among pregnant women, only 59%
of pregnant women attend antenatal clinics which increase the Impact of HIV/AIDS among
pregnant women (WHO, 2008)

Nigeria has the second highest number of HIV infections according to statistics 2010 data shows
only 52.3% of pregnant women have knowledge on HIV/AIDS and how it can be transmitted
and 37.7% of those women have knowledge on HIV/AIDS and they are not aware of the modes
of transmission, 20% of pregnant women have never heard of HIV/AIDS and the mode of
transmission (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2012)

In Kenya according to (KDHS; 2013) the level knowledge of how HIV is spread is found to
correlate with the slow transmission among young women (KDH, 2003) moreover, the
knowledge of HIV transmission among young women aged 15-19 is lower for all methods
compared with those aged 25 years and above. For more than 15 years the need to communicate
prevention messages related to HIV/AIDS has been only limited opportunities to learn about the
disease. Some adults believe that sex education encourages sexual experimentation this shows
how they have deficit knowledge (Nduati, 2004)

Consequently programmes and campaigns have been and continue to be limited in terms of what
they can discuss ( El-Gawhasy, 2002) most women do not know how HIV/AIDS were linked
(UNAIDS, 2001)

The knowledge of HIV/AIDS among pregnant mothers attending maternal child health /family
planning clinic is not adequate and not of them are not ready to acquire the knowledge and prefer
to deliver at home where no one will bother them. At Mandera Level 5 Hospital most mothers
say that they have the knowledge but cannot explain the causes, prevention and even importance
of having knowledge of HIV/AIDS during antenatal period this has led to Impact of HIV/AIDS
among pregnant women (health records department, 2012)