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Protocols to screen women for HIV and provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent perinatal transmission have been remarkably successful, yet infants continue to be born with HIV infection. Following no perinatal transmissions in 2021 and only two cases between 2018 and 2021, this report from Maryland details six children who acquired HIV perinatally in 2022.
Three infants were born before 29 weeks' gestation, presenting challenges to the use of highly active ART in neonates.
HIV risk factors for transmission included:
Limited or late prenatal care, resulting in delayed maternal HIV diagnoses.
Failure to perform maternal third-trimester HIV screening (resulting in 1 child subsequently diagnosed at age 7 years).
Lack of maternal adherence to…