LESSON 9.4

State of Women’s Health: Pacific Rim & Globally

HIV Prevention, Early Diagnosis & Access to Care

Despite remarkable achievements in developing therapies to treat HIV, women (especially those in developing countries) continue to be at an increased risk for acquiring the disease through heterosexual transmission. The prevention of HIV continues to be a challenge. However, interventions to reduce perinatal transmission have been successful with transmission rates less than 1% when maternal-infant antiretroviral medications are provided. In addition, initiatives to continue to treat maternal HIV disease after pregnancy have resulted in decreased mortality rates – which translates into a higher likelihood of survival of the women’s infants and children.

Despite remarkable achievements in developing therapies to treat HIV, women especially those in developing countries, continue to be at an increased risk for acquiring the disease through heterosexual transmission.

The prevention of HIV continues to be a challenge. However, interventions to reduce perinatal transmission have been successful with transmission rates of less than 1% when maternal-infant antiretroviral medications are provided.

In addition, initiatives to continue to treat maternal HIV disease after pregnancy, have resulted in decreased mortality rates which translates into a higher likelihood of survival of the women’s infants and children.