back to top HIV Transmission from Mother-to-child
HIV can be transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, labour and delivery, and later through breastfeeding. The first step towards reducing the number of babies infected in this way is to prevent HIV infection in women, and to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
There are a number of things that can be done to help a pregnant woman with HIV to avoid passing her infection to her child. A course of antiretroviral drugs given to her during pregnancy and labour as well as to her newborn baby can greatly reduce the chances of the child becoming infected. Although the most effective treatment involves a combination of drugs taken over a long period, even a single dose of treatment can cut the transmission rate by half.
Weighing risks against benefits is critical when selecting the best feeding option for infants. The World Health Organisation advises mothers with HIV not to breastfeed whenever the use of replacements is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe. However, if safe water is not available then exclusive breastfeeding is recommended as the safest feeding option.
From here you can access guidance about how to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child, including the most recent international guidelines on breastfeeding and antiretroviral regimens for PMTCT, as well as information about international PMTCT initiatives and sources of funding. Look into why preventing HIV transmission from mother to child is a challenge; including issues such as low HIV testing, problems accessing PMTCT treatment, and stigma as obstacles to eliminating HIV transmission to children.