Prevention of perinatal HIV infection

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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.