HIV transmission and guidelines for screening
Mother-to-child HIV transmission, which can happen during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding, occurs at a rate of 15% to 45% with no intervention; however, effective interventions can reduce this rate to less than 5%.1 In settings with a high prevalence of HIV, WHO recommends provider-initiated HIV testing and care for all pregnant women, as well as retesting during the third trimester, during labor, or shortly after delivery.2 Women who test negative should be retested periodically if they breastfeed their infant so they can promptly receive interventions to prevent transmission to their infant.