Fetal transmission of AIDS through the mother's womb.
The obstetrician and pediatrician must be alert to the potential development of AIDS in children born to mothers with AIDS/ARC or to healthy mothers who belong to a risk group for AIDS. Serologic studies for HTLV-III should be conducted during pregnancy. In the future it may be possible to identify the AIDS virus or antibodies to it in amniotic fluid obtained by diagnostic amniocentesis. In the interim, sonographic studies during pregnancy in women at risk for AIDS may be helpful in identifying fetal intrauterine growth retardation and may help raise our level of suspicion for congenital AIDS. There is no definitive cure for pediatric AIDS yet. However, recent studies suggest that intravenous gammaglobulin with or without specific antibodies to HTLV-III may arrest disease progression. Under these circumstances, early institution of treatment may alter the disease course favorably.
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications