Mothers’ Story – The Documentary

What would you do to protect your unborn baby from a deadly virus?

We follow three HIV positive pregnant women living in the bustling townships of Cape Town, South Africa as they struggle to prevent the virus in their bodies from passing to their unborn babies.

These three women have a unique advantage. They have access to drugs that could keep their babies healthy. The majority of mothers do not. They also have support from a unique international NGO called “Mothers 2 Mothers” who mentor women through their pregnancies, coaching them through the delicate process of keeping their babies healthy, born free of HIV.

But will they succeed?

Mothers’ Story – Improving PMTCT Care

This 3-tiered project involved the production of a documentary film, an educational video, and a national conference around a critical health issue in South Africa - the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). 

In a country with one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world, preventing new infections is crucial. Yet 86% of HIV+ pregnant women in South Africa do not have access to simple treatments that could save their babies’ lives.  Currently, South Africa is experiencing a rising wave of child mortality, and the leading cause is HIV/AIDs.

An innovative programme, Mothers2Mothers, is working to change this. A network of mothers who have successfully completed PMTCT are trained to guide pregnant women through the PMTCT process.  These mentor mothers provide information, a daily meal and vital psychosocial support. They have significantly improved the adherence to the PMTCT regimen and general health of the women in the programme.

By following and filming three women through each challenging step of PMTCT – HIV testing, disclosing their status to their partners and families, understanding the PMTCT drug regimen, and learning how to feed their babies – the documentary will provide support and inspiration to mothers who do not have access to Mothers 2 Mothers.