title: Prevention of perinatal HIV infection.
abstract: In the 20 years since the first description of the clinical manifestations of HIV infection, more than 32 million people have been infected worldwide. In untreated HIV-infected pregnant women, the risk of maternal-child transmission varies from 16 to 40%. In developed countries, utilizing combinations of available medications and elective cesarean sections, it is possible to lower the transmission rates to less than 2 to 4%. Effective programs use universal screening of pregnant women, perinatal antiretroviral therapy, and, at times, delivery via elective cesarean section. In resource-poor areas, major barriers remain to the control of maternal-child transmission.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania19104, USA. Rutstein@email.chop.edu
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rutstein
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001942:Breast Feeding; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D012307:Risk Factors; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015215:Zidovudine