Preventing HIV Infection
Preventing HIV in Pregnant Women
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What
Have We Learned So Far?
- Historically, efforts - including collaboration
among UN agencies - have largely concentrated
on prevention of HIV transmission from infected
women to their offspring with the focus on the
child (commonly termed mother-to-child
transmission or MTCT). Very few examples of
interventions exist that focus on pregnant women
for their own benefit as individuals. This means
little has been learnt in relation to interventions
that protect and prevent pregnant women from
HIV infection and/or ensure their health when
sero-positive during pregnancy and the post
delivery period.
- Access to services and treatment options are
unavailable or unaffordable for a significant
portion of HIV-positive pregnant women,
especially for those living in developing
countries.
- Despite our limited experience, there are preventive aspects
including provision of information on safer sexual behaviour,
provision of condoms, voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) 2,
and support to HIV positive women, which allow us to better plan,
develop and implement interventions that safeguard the health
and well being of HIV negative and positive women and that of
their partners and children.
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