Prevention Of HIV Transmittance To Babies

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Prevention of HIV Transmittance to Babies

Prevention of HIV Transmittance to Babies

Last year, it was cause for celebration. The cause of celebration was for the
results that several clinical trials of zidovudine cut the risk for mother to
child transmission of human immune deficiency virus (HIV) by two thirds.
Although, this year, it is the basis for new federal recommendations that all
pregnant women should receive HIV testing and counseling. But, these findings
have been cause of protests by several activist groups. Activists fear that
conservative legislators and policy makers will use the clinical data to justify
mandatory testing and treatment for pregnant women.

During the latter part of February, the United States Public Health Services
published guidelines for HIV pregnant women in the Federal Register. Which
coincidentally was published on the same day as the National Conference in
Washington, DC for "HIV infection in women: Setting a New Agenda." The
conference included activists, physicians and HIV positive women who used the
meeting as a forum to voice their concerns about how best to balance women's own
medical needs with those of their infants. Other concerns of activists that
were voiced were that they don't want laws, policies or medical care imposed on
women merely as "vectors" who may transmit HIV to their infants.
The new guidelines recommend that all pregnant women should receive HIV
counseling and testing. These guidelines are aimed at helping pregnant women
know their HIV status early so that medical care, including zidovudine (Retrovir,
known as AZT, Burroughs Welcome Co., Research Triangle Park, NC), can be made
available. The new guidelines also reiterate previous federal health advisories
that say counseling should precede HIV testing. Physicians and other health
professionals who counsel women should be well informed about the complex issues
that face HIV infected pregnant women, according to the guidelines. This
information should include about all of their reproductive options. Women
should also be advised that in order to help reduce prenatal HIV transmissions
HIV infected women in the United States should not breast feed their infants.

The guidelines further states that all HIV testing should be voluntary for women
and their infants. Also, all decisions about AZT use should be made by the HIV
infected pregnant woman in a non coercive atmosphere and based on a balance of
the benefits an potential risks of the r

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