- Approximately 6,000 to 7,000 HIV-infected women give birth each year in the United States, resulting in 280 to 370 new perinatal infections.
- Approximately 40% of the HIV infected women who pass their HIV to their child never knew the were HIV infected or were never tested for HIV during their pregnancy.
- About 40% of women that are of child bearing age do not know that perinatal transmission of HIV is preventable.
- Only about 33% of all hospitals offer rapid HIV testing to women in labor and only 50% of them have policies to test women whose HIV status is unknown.
- Pregnant women are more likely to get an HIV test when testing is an option they can decline as opposed to a requirement of their prenatal care.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; January 2005.
For more information regarding HIV and pregnancy:
