![Skip Nav](images/s.gif) |
![spacer](images/s.gif)
![spacer](images/s.gif) |
About our Work: Preventing Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission
(Last Updated: January 2005) |
![spacer](images/s.gif) |
![spacer](images/s.gif) |
About PMTCT |
PMTCT Tools |
Mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) accounts for nearly 90% of the more
than 600,000 estimated new HIV infections that occur in children worldwide each
year. Without intervention, there is a 15-30% risk of a HIV-infected mother
transmitting HIV to her child during pregnancy and delivery, and an additional
10-20% risk of transmission through breastfeeding. In sub-Saharan Africa, where
up to 40% of pregnant women are now HIVinfected, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has had
devastating effects on infant survival and on families.
Comprehensive prevention
of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programs have nearly eliminated MTCT
in developed countries. However, progress in implementing similar prevention
programs in resource-poor settings has been slow, with only 10% of pregnant
HIV-infected women benefiting from these services in many countries.
Simple,
effective interventions make preventing MTCT in resource-poor settings an
obtainable goal. Those interventions include:
- routinely recommended rapid HIV
testing and counseling;
- short-course antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for mother
and infant;
- modified infant feeding practices.
Clinical trials have
demonstrated that these interventions can reduce the risk of MTCT by 30-90%.
Further, new global initiatives to support ARV therapy and widespread
prevention, care and treatment programs, have created important new
opportunities to support PMTCT, integrate PMTCT into maternal-child health
programs, introduce more effective ARV interventions, and provide linkages to
care and treatment for mothers, infants and family members ("PMTCT-plus").
With
U.S. Government (USG) funding, the Global AIDS Program (GAP) supports national
scale-up of PMTCT programs by:
- developing national PMTCT policies and program
plans;
- implementing core PMTCT interventions, including the use of a range of
ARV regimens, from single-dose nevirapine to more effective combination ARV
regimens, where feasible (See: WHO ARV PMTCT Guidelines, 2004);
- implementing PMTCT-plus programs, including encouraging partner involvement, linking PMTCT
with community-based programs, and developing strong linkages to ongoing care
and support of both mother and infant;
- providing training, infrastructure
support, and assistance for developing monitoring and evaluation activities;
- supporting key PMTCT program implementation tools, including a national training
curriculum package (WHO/CDC), monitoring system, testing and counseling manual.
In Tanzania, Botswana, Mozambique, and Namibia, GAP, with USG funding...
has
supported the development of national PMTCT guidelines, scale-up plans, training
packages, and PMTCT monitoring systems.
In Thailand, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda, and
Zambia, GAP, with USG funding... has conducted clinical trials and targeted
evaluations of PMTCT interventions.
![dotline](images/top_dot_line.gif)
How does CDC promote prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT)
in developing countries?
- CDC assists countries to develop national PMTCT
scaleup plans, policy guidelines, monitoring systems, and training packages.
- CDC implements PMTCT programs at various health facility levels.
- CDC
implements core PMTCT interventions, such as routine, rapid HIV testing and
counseling, short-course antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), modified obstetric and
infant feeding practices, family planning, infant diagnosis and followup, and
provision of PMTCT services.
- CDC conducts operational research and targeted
evaluations.
- CDC collaborates with USG and international partners on PMTCT
activities.
Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Tools
« Go back
|