Ob-gyns should promote HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis
(HealthDay)—Obstetrician-gynecologists can play a critical role in reducing HIV transmission by promoting pre-exposure prophylaxis, according to a commentary published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Noting that daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate coformulated with emtricitabine has been approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, Dominika Seidman, M.D., and Shannon Weber, M.S.W., from San Francisco General Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco, discuss the role of women's health care providers in delivering pre-exposure prophylaxis for women.
The authors note that clinical encounters should use a framework of shared decision-making, allowing patients and clinicians to make health care decisions based on scientific evidence and patient experiences. Health care providers can effectively integrate sexual and reproductive health care by incorporating fertility desires and contraceptive needs. Health care provider training and attention to lessons learned from family planning and HIV prevention are needed for incorporation of pre-exposure prophylaxis in women's health services.
"Obstetrician-gynecologists have an opportunity to play a critical role in reducing sexual transmission of HIV in the United States by integrating pre-exposure prophylaxis education and provision into their practices," the authors write.
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