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Risk assessment is an important part of prenatal care, and counseling
to reduce risk is a recommended component of prenatal care.
Approximately 30 percent of pregnant women in Illinois arrive
in labor and delivery not knowing their HIV status. We know that
without appropriate therapy in labor 25 percent of HIV women will
transmit HIV to their infants. With appropriate therapy less than
two percent will transmit HIV.
Never before has the elimination of perinatal HIV been so easily
obtainable:
- In August 2003, the Illinois Perinatal HIV Prevention Act (Public
Act 93-0566) was signed into law.
- The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several
HIV rapid testing devices.
- There are proven, effective interventions
if the maternal HIV status is known.
The Illinois Perinatal HIV Prevention Act mandates that all pregnant
women be provided HIV counseling and offered HIV testing as early
in their pregnancy as possible. If there is no documented maternal
HIV test in the woman’s file upon arrival to the labor and
delivery unit, counseling is to be provided, HIV testing offered
and the results of the intervention are to be documented.
The FDA-approved rapid tests can be performed at point of care
using blood from a finger stick or saliva.
Resource Information:
- For immediate expert HIV consultation, treatment information and referrals call:
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