HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION DU RING PREGNANCY - VERTICAL TRANSMISSION

Estimates of the rate of human immunodeficiency virus vertical transmi ssion range from 15% to 40%, and the rate is lower in European and Ame rican studies than in African studies. There appears to be a relations hip between maternal factors, mode of delivery and mother-to-child tra nsmission. The risk factors or markers associated with increased verti cal transmission are analyzed in this review. The use of zidovudine, a dministered to HIV-infected women during pregnancy and labour, and to the offspring for 6 weeks reduce the mother-to-infant transmission rat e from 25% to 8%. Other strategies to alter transmission of HIV, inclu ding the use of combinaison of anti-retroviral drugs, immunoprophylaxi s against HIV or obstetric interventions needs to be evaluated.