Women Risk Infection (Press, 9 October 1985)
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Summary: Women Risk Infection (Press, 9 October 1985)
A report presented by Dr Alexander McMillan, a visiting venereologist, revealed that 40 per cent of drug abusers treated at a hospital in Edinburgh tested positive for A.I.D.S. antibodies. Dr McMillan, who works in the genito-urinary department at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, made this statement during his address to the New Zealand Venereological Society conference on 9 October 1985. The data highlighted a concerning trend among young people, as most of the drug abusers were under the age of 25 and nearly half were women. One notable case mentioned involved a woman who had recently given birth, with medical professionals awaiting the antibody test results for her newborn. Several other women in the group were also pregnant. Dr McMillan noted that many of these women appeared unaware that they could contract A.I.D.S. through sexual contact with male drug addicts. He emphasised the importance of educating them on the risks associated with unprotected sex, needle sharing, and the implications of pregnancy for those with positive antibodies. Dr McMillan expressed the difficulty in advising young women, particularly teenagers, against having children. He acknowledged that it may take considerable time before the potential effects on children born to mothers with positive antibodies could be determined. The statistics highlighted a significantly higher prevalence of positive A.I.D.S. antibodies among drug addicts in Edinburgh compared to other areas in Britain, where the figures were much lower, such as approximately six per cent in London. In his findings, Dr McMillan also pointed out that around 5 to 10 per cent of homosexual men tested were found to have positive antibodies, alongside about 20 per cent of haemophiliacs, who were believed to have contracted the virus from a contaminated batch of blood. This situation underscores the urgent need for public health interventions and education regarding the transmission of A.I.D.S. and the importance of safe practices, particularly among vulnerable populations.
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