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Before the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy, up to 40% of neonates became HIV infected; now, routine HIV testing for HIV and early initiation of ART in pregnant women has reduced the rate of HIV infection in newborns. This report by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (UPSTF) provides an updated evidence review of 29 recent studies to support the use antiretrovirals in pregnancy while addressing potential associated harms.
The new data show that combination ART can reduce rates of HIV transmission to <0.5% when initiated in the first trimester, and to about 2% when initiated in the third trimester. Most studies also provide reassurance about the safety of antiretrovirals during pregnancy; a few observational …