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  • Title: Reducing the HIV risk from mother to infant.
    Author: Finger WR.
    Journal: Netw Res Triangle Park N C; 1997; 17(2):29-31. PubMed ID: 12290337.
    Abstract:
    25-33% of infants born to HIV-infected women also become infected with HIV. Such vertical transmission is the main way in which infants acquire HIV. Since most pregnant women with HIV have been infected through unprotected intercourse, promoting HIV prevention among women is the best way to prevent HIV infections among infants. For women who do become infected, preventing pregnancy is a secondary way of reducing the spread of HIV to infants. Infections can occur in utero, during birth, or through breast milk, but researchers are not sure about the relative risk associated with each phase. Zidovudine (AZT) therapy has been shown to be effective in reducing HIV transmission to the fetus during pregnancy. Other research is testing treatments with a specially made immunoglobulin containing antibodies to HIV. Obstetrical interventions which could increase the risk of HIV transmission should be avoided. Other interventions being considered to reduce transmission risk during delivery are disinfecting the birth canal of HIV-infected women and using vitamin A. As for the risks of breast feeding, most models conclude that in places where infant mortality, HIV prevalence, and mortality from bottle feeding are all high, any switch from breast feeding to bottle feeding would adversely affect child survival. However, in affluent, industrialized countries where bottle feeding has little adverse effect upon child mortality, bottle feeding by HIV-infected mothers can increase child survival. The appropriate policy is not clear in intermediate settings.
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