- HIV is an RNA herpes virus that is spread by infected body secretions.
- The most common ways of transmission are sharing contaminated needles, having sexual intercourse with an infected partner and perinatal transmission.
- The clinical course from HIV to AIDS is a gradual but relentless immunosupression during a period of year, resulting in death caused by overwhelming infection from opportunistic diseases. Progression from HIV to AIDS in infants is more rapid than in adults.
- Neonates of HIV infected women have a 13-52% chance of acquiring HIV from the mother.
- The major route of vertical transmission is contact with the infected genital secretion at the time of vaginal delivery.
- Neonates born from HIV positive mother will have positive HIV tests from passage of trans placental passive IgG.
- All HIV- positive pregnant women are recommended anti viral prophylaxis(AZT), which is continued from 14 weeks' gestation throughout pregnancy, including delivery.
- The vertical transmission rate is 30%, without maternal azidothymidine (AZT) prophylaxis. AZT prophylaxis has reduced the infection rate to 10%, with vaginal delivery.
- Pregnant women with low CD4 count and high RNA viral loads are given multidrug antiviral regimens.
- The currently offered mode of delivery is cesarean section to HIV-positive women.
- Perinatal transmission is increasing globally as a direct result of the increase in number of HIV infection among women of child bearing age. Global precautions is to pay careful attention in handling all body fluids.