Ria Lolyta; Nur Azizah
Background: HIV/AIDS is an infectious disease that attacks the immune system and is a global health problem. Pregnant women are among the vulnerable groups for HIV infection, so HIV testing during pregnancy is an important step in preventing mother-to-child transmission. However, the utilization of HIV testing by pregnant women is still low in various regions, including at the Peureulak Community Health Center, East Aceh Regency. HIV testing in pregnant women can reduce the risk of vertical transmission and provide an opportunity for appropriate treatment. Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between pregnant women's knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the utilization of HIV testing at the Peureulak Community Health Center. Methods: This study used an observational analytical design with a cross-sectional approach. The study sample consisted of 50 pregnant women selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire consisting of questions about knowledge about HIV/AIDS and utilization of HIV testing. The collected data were analyzed using the chi-square test to see the relationship between the two variables. Results: The results showed that the majority of pregnant women had insufficient knowledge about HIV/AIDS (56%). Utilization of HIV testing is also still low, with 52% of pregnant women not undergoing testing during pregnancy. Bivariate analysis showed a significant association between pregnant women's knowledge of HIV/AIDS and their utilization of HIV testing (p = 0.002). Mothers with good knowledge were more likely to undergo HIV testing (72.7%) than mothers with poor knowledge (28.6%). Conclusion: Good knowledge of HIV/AIDS influences the utilization of HIV testing by pregnant women. Further education is needed to increase pregnant women's awareness of the importance of HIV testing to prevent transmission to the baby.