What is perinatal HIV?
Perinatal is the time right before and right after birth. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The words “perinatal HIV” mean that HIV has been passed to the baby from the mother. In general, babies born to mothers who have HIV have a 25% to 30% chance of being infected with HIV. How can my baby get perinatal HIV? Your baby can get HIV several ways: during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, or during breastfeeding. Most babies get infected with HIV during labor and delivery. There may be less of a chance of passing HIV to your baby if you have a cesarean delivery (C-section). Talk about this with your doctor. If I’m thinking about becoming pregnant or if I am pregnant, should I get tested for HIV? You should talk about this with your doctor. In some states, your doctor is required by law to offer you an HIV test. If you think you are at risk for HIV infection or may already have HIV, you may want to be t
