title: Progress in prevention of perinatal HIV-1.
abstract: The findings of a recent human immunodeficiency (HIV-1) prevention trial in the USA demonstrated that administration of an antiretroviral drug, zidovudine, to mothers during the prenatal and intrapartum periods, and to their neonates for 6 weeks, resulted in a two-thirds reduction in risk of perinatal transmission from 25.5% to 8.3%. These results were rapidly disseminated both in the USA and internationally. Since the release of these clinical trial results in the spring of 1994, several observational studies have documented a sharp increase in maternal and neonatal zidovudine use, as well as a significant decrease in perinatal HIV-1 transmission, with rates of about 8% being observed in non-clinical trial settings. Internationally, the results have led to the development of a variety of perinatal prevention trials that build on the success of the U.S. perinatal prevention trial but use modified strategies that can feasibly be carried out in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mofenson
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015215:Zidovudine