You should encourage all pregnant women to consent to be tested for HIV. You may be able to do the test yourself, but if you cannot carry out the test, it is available at all higher health facilities and hospitals. Explain to every pregnant woman that if her HIV test result is positive, she can receive effective services to prevent her baby from getting HIV before or after birth. Tell her also that there is treatment for herself and her partner (if her partner is tested and found to be positive for HIV).
Prophylaxis (pronounced 'proff-ill-axis') means 'treatment aimed at prevention'. ARP drugs are given to prevent HIV from being transmitted from an HIV-infected mother to her baby.
Core PMTCT interventions
- HIV testing and counselling. You will learn more about this later in this study session.
- Giving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to HIV-positive pregnant women. These drugs act against viruses such as HIV which belong to a virus 'family' called retroviruses. They are given either as part of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for women who are eligible to start treatment for their own HIV infection, or as antiretroviral prophylaxis (ARP) to pregnant women who are not eligible to start antiretroviral treatment at this time. Giving pregnant women ARV drugs either before or during pregnancy benefits them directly, but it also helps to prevent HIV transmission to the baby.
- Safe delivery practices.
- Safe baby feeding practices.