Why is testing recommended for pregnant women?
There are now medical therapies available to lower the change of an HIV-infected pregnant woman passing HIV to her infant before, during, or after birth. ZDV (zidovudine, also known as AZT or ART) is the only drug which has been proven to reduce perinatal transmission. HIV testing and counseling provides an opportunity for infected women to find out if they are infected and to gain access to medical treatment that may help to delay disease progression, for women who are not infected, HIV counseling provides an opportunity to learn important prevention information to reduce the possibility of future exposures.
There are now medical therapies available to lower the chance of an HIV-infected pregnant woman passing HIV to her infant before, during, or after birth. ZDV (zidovudine, also known as AZT or ART) is the only drug which has been proven to reduce perinatal transmission. HIV testing and counseling provides an opportunity for infected women to find out if they are infected and to gain access to medical treatment that may help to delay disease progression. For women who are not infected, HIV counselling provides an opportunity to learn important prevention information to reduce the possibility of future exposures.
There are now medical therapies available to lower the change of an HIV-infected pregnant woman passing HIV to her infant before, during, or after birth. ZDV (zidovudine, also known as AZT or ART) is the only drug which has been proven to reduce perinatal transmission. HIV testing and counseling provides an opportunity for infected women to find out if they are infected and to gain access to medical treatment that may help to delay disease progression, for women who are not infected, HIV counseling provides an opportunity to learn important prevention information to reduce the possibility of future exposures.
