ABSTRACT
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child, either prenatally or during childbirth. Most infantile HIV is acquired during delivery; infection in the womb or via breast feeding accounts for only about 10% of infant HIV cases in the United States. The ability to identify HIV-infected infants at or near birth has made possible the early treatment of HIV-positive children, and improved assessment of the effectiveness of treatment. In some states, HIV testing of pregnant women is mandatory, a practice that has resulted in a political and social firestorm. Advances in testing allow early establishment of an infant’s HIV status—the results of three viral cultures or polymerase chain reactions during the first month of life can prove or rule out HIV infection. All medical and social welfare providers should receive continuing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) awareness education and should promote AIDS awareness and prevention in all clinical encounters.
