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HIV transmission from mothers to newborns can be reduced from 25% to 8% using zidovudine in the antepartum and intrapartum periods and in the newborn, but some mothers do not receive this therapy. These investigators used New York State data to examine the effect of less-than-optimal treatment on HIV transmission.
Researchers tested specimens for HIV from 939 HIV-exposed infants aged 180 days and younger; data about timing of zidovudine was obtained from the pediatric care provider. A validation study of 454 children was based on chart review.
Results for the total group and the validation sample were similar. HIV transmission rate was lowest when zidovudine was initiated prenatally (6.1%; 95% CI, 4.1% to 8.9%) and highest without zidovudine …