Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) is one of UNAIDS’ priority areas. By scaling up access to and the use of quality services for the prevention of mother-to- child HIV transmission as an integral part of sexual and reproductive health services and reproductive rights for women and their partners, we can prevent mothers from dying and babies from becoming infected with HIV.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been virtually eliminated in high income countries and progress has been made in high burden and middle and low income countries. However, in spite of this progress, much more needs to be done to prevent mothers from dying and babies from becoming infected with HIV. HIV is the leading cause of mortality in women of reproductive age. In 2008, 430,000 children were newly infected with HIV, 90% of these babies were born in sub-Saharan Africa. Without intervention, about 1 in 3 children born to HIV-infected mothers will be infected.

A comprehensive approach to PMTCT: The UN has developed a comprehensive approach to PMTCT, which includes HIV prevention measures and a range of care for mothers and their children. The approach has four components:

1. Primary prevention of HIV among women of childbearing age.
2. Prevention of unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV.
3. Prevention of HIV transmission from a woman living with HIV to her infant.
4. Provision of appropriate treatment, care and support to women living with HIV and their children and families.

Throughout each of these, PMTCT uses the concepts of combination prevention and treatment as prevention for mothers and children and also focuses on the health and wellbeing of families. The prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV also incorporates improving antenatal, delivery and post-natal care, including maternal-child health and reproductive health.