Should nevirapine be used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV among women of unknown serostatus?
At present, HIV testing and counselling during pregnancy represent the key entry point for women to learn their serostatus and for them to access, if they are HIV-positive, specific interventions to reduce mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. However, the provision and uptake of testing and counselling services are inadequate, and many pregnant women in countries most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic remain unaware of their HIV status. The offer of single-dose nevirapine prophylaxis to women whose HIV status is unknown at the time of delivery has been proposed to circumvent these problems in high-prevalence settings. The potential advantages and disadvantages of three different programme approaches are considered: targeted programmes in which antiretroviral drugs are offered only to women who are known to be HIV-positive; combined programmes in which nevirapine prophylaxis is offered to women whose serostatus remains unknown at the time of delivery despite targeted programme in
Related Questions
- Does Screening for HIV in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women Reduce Mother-to-Child Transmission or Premature Death and Disability?
- Does Screening for HIV in Pregnant Women Reduce Mother-to-Child Transmission or Premature Death and Disability?
- Should nevirapine be used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV among women of unknown serostatus?
