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HIV infection can be passed from a mother to her child during pregnancy or childbirth or through breastfeeding. Pregnant women or new mothers who are infected with HIV, or suspect that they are infected, should consult a qualified health worker to seek testing and counselling.

The most effective way to reduce transmission of HIV from the mother to the child is to prevent HIV infection in women. Empowering women and promoting safer sex, condom use and better detection and treatment of STIs can reduce HIV infection in women. If a woman discovers that she is HIV positive, she needs emotional support and counselling to help her make decisions and plan for her future. Community support groups and NGOs can support women in making these decisions.

Pregnant women need to know:

that treatment with specified medicines during pregnancy can greatly reduce the risk of passing the infection to the infant that special care during pregnancy and delivery can reduce the risks of passing the infection to the infant.

New mothers need to know the different options for feeding their infants and the related risks. Health workers can assist in identifying a feeding method that can maximize the infant's chance of growing up healthy and free of HIV.

Babies born to women who have not received medication and are infected with HIV have about a 1-in-3 chance of being born with HIV. More than two thirds of the infants infected with HIV may die before they are five years old.

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