<h3>HIV Transmission from Mother to Baby</h3>

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are at increased risk of transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to their children (Chasela et al., 2010). A baby may be infected with HIV while in utero, during delivery, or when breast feeding (Magder et al., 2005). If the mother does have HIV, and is either pregnant or seeking to become pregnant, she should immediately consult her obstetrician for guidance. Depending on her viral load and CD4 T-Cell count, she may be a candidate for anti-retroviral treatment (ART). The use of ART has been shown to reduce the incidence of transmission of the virus between mother and child (Schouten et al., 2011).

Thousands of children get infected by HIV every year. The primary way children get infected is by Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) during breastfeeding, mostly in developing countries. According to Horvath et al. (2009), there are three main prevention methods of breastfeeding transmission of HIV which include "complete avoidance of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding,

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and antiretroviral prophylaxis to the breastfeeding infant" (p. 13). Unfortunately, due to the cost of formula some mothers do not believe eliminating breastfeeding is feasible. Also, because most transmissions occur in developing countries it is important to remember the use of formula with water in these countries has a higher risk of illness due to contaminated water (Horvath et al., 2009).

Knowing one’s HIV status is important because people who don’t know their status are more likely to transmit the virus to others (Marks, Crepaz, & Janssen, 2006), including their unborn child. Should one have a positive HIV test, further evaluation, including amount of the virus and the status of one’s immune system, and steps to reduce exposure to others should be done as soon as possible. Medications such as ART, not only treat HIV, but also may protect an unborn child or child that is breast feeding from acquiring the virus (Schouten et al., 2011).

Written by P. Fenn, & B. Gustavus

HIV Among Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children (CDC.GOV)

References

Chasela, C. S., Hudgens, M. G., Jamieson, D. J., Kayira, D., Hosseinipour, M. C., Kourtis, A. P., Ahmed, Y. I. (2010). Maternal or infant antiretroviral drugs to reduce HIV-1 transmission. New England Journal of Medicine, 362(24), 2271-2281. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1056/NEJMoa0911486

Horvath, T., Maddi, B., Iuppa, I., Kennedy, G., Rutherford, G., & Read, J. (2009). Interventions for preventing late postnatal mother-to-child transmission to HIV. Cochrin Database of Systematic Review, 1; 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006734.pub2

Magder, L. S., Mofenson, L., Paul, M. E., Zorrilla, C. D., Blattner, W. A., Tuomala, R. E., Rich, K. C. (2005). Risk factors for in utero and intrapartum transmission of HIV. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 38(1), 87-95. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1097/00126334-200501010-00016

Marks, G., Crepaz, N., & Janssen, R. S. (2006). Estimating sexual transmission of HIV from persons aware and unaware that they are infected with the virus in the USA. AIDS (London, England), 20(10), 1447-1450. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.aids.0000233579.79714.8d

Schouten, E. J., Jahn, A., Midiani, D., Makombe, S. D., Mnthambala, A., Chirwa, Z., Ben-Smith, A. (2011). Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the health-related millennium development goals: Time for a public health approach. The Lancet, 378(9787), 282-284. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.7196/SAJHIVMED.864