Perinatal HIV Transmission: Missed Opportunities and Proposed Solutions

Abstract

Much progress has been made in the elimination of perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Since the 1980s, the transmission rate from pregnant women to their children has dropped from approximately 25% to less than 1% in resource-rich areas. Routine HIV testing in pregnancy, the introduction of multidrug antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women, and the recognition that HIV viral load directly correlates with viral transmission have all led to the elimination of perinatal HIV. However, there are still missed opportunities that could further minimize transmission.