Pregnancy and HIV

HIV can be transmitted from mother-to-child during pregnancy, labour, delivery and through breastfeeding. This transmission path is called mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). The risk of transmission can be reduced, below 2% with the right treatment.

Prenatal and postnatal treatment: In developed countries MTCT has become rare. This is due to effective voluntary testing and counselling, access to effective treatment, safe delivery practices (caesarean section), and the widespread availability and safe use of breast-milk substitutes. Access to antiretrovirals means that millions of HIV-positive women have given birth to HIV-negative babies who otherwise would have been infected.

Viral load and CD4+ cell count: A high viral load or a low CD4+ cell count increase the risk of mother-to-child transmission. Pregnant women with a high CD4+ cell count and a low viral load are less likely to pass on HIV to their child. But even if these pregnant women do not need antiretroviral drugs at the time of conception, they are advised to begin treatment some time after the first trimester of their pregnancy. Pregnant women are encouraged to take the required treatment regardless of their pregnancy state, even though there is no guarantee that the treatment won't affect the baby's health.