Vertical HIV Transmission Prevention in Pregnant Populations
Summary
Vertical transmission of HIV refers to the passage of the virus from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Advances in antenatal screening, antiretroviral therapy and delivery management have dramatically reduced transmission rates in many settings. Universal HIV testing early in pregnancy, coupled with prompt initiation of combination antiretroviral regimens, achieves maternal viral suppression and transforms vertical transmission into a rare event. Elective caesarean section is reserved for women with detectable viraemia near term, while avoidance of breastfeeding is advised where safe alternatives exist. Despite these innovations, key challenges remain: gaps in the prevention cascade, late presentation to care, regional inequities and structural barriers that limit access to testing and sustained treatment. Operational research has emphasised the importance of integrated maternal and child health services, point-of-care diagnostics and community outreach to bridge these gaps. Global elimination targets depend not only on biomedical interventions but on addressing socio-economic determinants, enhancing retention in care and tailoring strategies to diverse health-system contexts.
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Vertical HIV Transmission Prevention in Pregnant Populations publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in vertical hiv transmission prevention in pregnant populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Vertical transmission: Passage of HIV from an infected pregnant person to their infant during gestation, birth or breastfeeding.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART): Combination drug regimens that inhibit HIV replication, used to achieve and sustain viral suppression.
Viral load: Quantity of HIV RNA in the blood; undetectable levels indicate effective ART and minimal risk of transmission.
Prevention cascade: Sequential steps in mother-to-child prevention—testing, treatment initiation, adherence, delivery management and neonatal prophylaxis.
References
- Prenatal testing and prevalence of HIV infection during pregnancy: data from the “Birth in Brazil” study, a national hospital-based study. BMC Infectious Diseases (2015).
- Evaluation of the cascade of care in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Brazil. Cadernos de Saúde Pública (2016).
- Review of the missed opportunities for the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV in Brazil. Clinics (2019).
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