HOW DO BABIES GET AIDS? The virus that causes AIDS can be transmitted from an infected mother to her newborn child. According to the World Health Organization, without antiretroviral treatment, up to 30% of babies of infected mothers get HIV. 5% to 20% more can be infected through breastfeeding. Mothers with higher viral loads are more likely to infect their babies. However, no viral load is low enough to be “safe”. Infection can occur any time during pregnancy, but usually happens just before or during delivery. The baby is more likely to be infected if the delivery takes a long time. During delivery, the newborn is exposed to the mother’s blood. An HIV-infected father can transmit HIV to his wife and to their child. To reduce this risk, some couples have used sperm washing and artificial insemination. aidsinfonet.org/fact_sheets/view/611#HOW_DO_BABIES_GET_AIDS__
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:05:43 +0000
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