If a woman with HIV is pregnant, the virus can be transmitted to her child during pregnancy, labor, delivery and breastfeeding. Syphilis is another serious disease that can be transmitted from mother to child. The transmission of HIV and syphilis can be drastically reduced with simple and affordable measures. However, many challenges remain in the region of the Americas for universal diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. One of them is the poor integration of the different health services used by pregnant women.
PAHO works together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners to promote a comprehensive and integrated approach to prevention of vertical transmission of HIV and syphilis.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 May 2013 09:42