More support needed to prevent spread of HIV from mother to child

Fewer children are contracting HIV from their mothers, but researchers are suggesting more work is needed in order to improve the prevention of this epidemic, according to a report from the University of Florida in Jacksonville.

The scientists said that better access to information and HIV testing clinics, especially for those who are considered to be at high risk, has reduced the spread of the virus from mother to child. Also, HIV screenings as part of prenatal care as well as rapid testing during and after childbirth are proving to be beneficial.

However, the researchers have found that approximately half of the cases in Florida occur because mothers are unaware they are HIV-positive prior to pregnancy or they refuse prenatal care that can protect their child from contracting the virus. Testing women exclusively after giving birth has also resulted in more HIV-positive infants.

"This is one of those diseases for which we learned how to prevent transmission,"said Mobeen Rathore, chief of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at the school's college of medicine. He added that "we need to make full use of this method and our energies need to be focused on the effort."

Women who are concerned about their health, but are uncomfortable with going to an STD health clinic, can benefit from purchasing online testing kits.