It works through offices in more than 150 countries, WHO staff work side by side with governments and other partners to ensure the highest attainable level of health for all people.
It strives to combat infectious diseases like HIV and helps mothers and children survive and thrive so they can look forward to a healthy old age.
Its primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations’ system.
| People living with HIV | People on antiretroviral therapy | Mother-to-child transmission |
|---|---|---|
| 36.7 million There were approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV at the end of 2015. | 17 million Including 2 million people who started treatment in 2015. | 7 out of 10 7 out of 10 pregnant women living with HIV received antiretroviral treatment. |
For more: Global AIDS Update 2016
For more information see: CONSOLIDATED GUIDELINES ON HIV PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CARE FOR KEY POPULATIONS KEY POPULATIONS ISBN 978 92 4 151112 4
| Contact: | World Health Organization Department of HIV/AIDS 20, avenue Appia 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland |
|---|---|
| E-mail: | hiv-aids@who.int |
| Web | http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/guidelines/ keypopulations/ 2016 UPDATE |
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, also known as prevention of vertical transmission, refers to interventions to prevent transmission of HIV from a mother living with HIV to her infant during pregnancy, labour and delivery or during breastfeeding.
PMTCT also focuses on early initiation of ART (anti retroviral treatment) in the mother and assuring the mother’s health.
WHO recommends a four-pronged approach to a comprehensive PMTCT strategy:
In the third prong, the preventive interventions consist of a cascade of services, from HIV testing and counselling, ART, safe delivery, safer infant feeding, postpartum interventions in the context of ongoing ART, early infant diagnosis and final diagnosis for HIV-exposed infants, through linkage of both the mother and child to appropriate care and treatment.
All pregnant women from key populations should have the same access to PMTCT services and follow the same recommendations as women in other populations.
The transmission of HIV from a HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding is called mother-to-child transmission. In the absence of any intervention, transmission rates range from 15% to 45%. This rate can be reduced to below 5% with effective interventions during the periods of pregnancy, labour, delivery and breastfeeding. These interventions primarily involve antiretroviral treatment for the mother and a short course of antiretroviral drugs for the baby. They also include measures to prevent HIV acquisition in the pregnant woman and appropriate breastfeeding practices.
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