How is HIV spread to children and infants?
HIV-infected mothers run the risk of transmitting HIV to their infants during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or breastfeeding. Almost all HIV-infected children and infants get HIV from their mothers before or during birth, or through breast-feeding. The risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV increases significantly if the mother has advanced HIV disease. In this condition, she will have increased levels of HIV in her bloodstream or fewer numbers of the immune system cells (CD4 cells), the main target of HIV. Another factor that may increase the risk of mother-to-child transmission is the mother using drugs.
