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Prevention of mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission (PMTCT) programs are expanding in resource-limited countries and are increasingly implemented in antenatal clinics (ANC) in which HIV sentinel surveillance is conducted. ANC sentinel surveillance data can be used to evaluate the first visit of a pregnant woman to PMTCT programs. We analyzed data from Kenya and Ethiopia, where information on PMTCT test acceptance was collected on the 2005 ANC sentinel surveillance forms. For Zimbabwe, we compared the 2005 ANC sentinel surveillance data to the PMTCT program data. ANC surveillance data allowed us to calculate the number of HIV-positive women not participating in the PMTCT program. The percentage of HIV-positive women missed by the PMTCT program was 17% in Kenya, 57% Ethiopia, and 59% Zimbabwe. The HIV prevalence among women participating in PMTCT differed from women who did not. ANC sentinel surveillance can be used to evaluate and improve the first encounter in PMTCT programs. Countries should collect PMTCT-related program data through ANC surveillance to strengthen the PMTCT program.

Introduction To increase access to safe abortion in rural India, the feasibility and acceptability of mifepristone–misoprostol abortion was assessed in a typical government run primary health center (PHC) in Nagpur district, Maharashtra State, that does not offer surgical abortion services and must refer off-site for emergency and backup services. Materials and Methods Consenting pregnant women (n=149) with ≤56 days amenorrhea seeking terminations received 200 mg mifepristone, and returned 48 h later for 400-μg sublingual misoprostol and 12 days later for abortion confirmation. Surgical backup was conducted at a nearby community health center (CHC). Results Nearly all women (98.6%) with known outcomes had successful medical abortions, and those who did not (1.4%) were successfully referred to the CHC for surgical backup. Women reported the method's ease and simplicity as the best features. Conclusion Medical abortion provision is feasible and acceptable in an Indian rural PHC that does not offer surgical abortion services. This study suggests that introduction of medical abortion at lower levels of the health-care system could increase access to safe abortion in rural India.