BUSINESS WIRE; Wednesday, November 26, 1997.
"As of 1996, more than 500 pediatric AIDS cases have been reported in California," said Belshe. "Prevention remains our strongest weapon in the battle against this devastating disease. The new HIV resource packets will provide perinatal providers with powerful messages to help educate pregnant women and prevent HIV transmission to the unborn."
Effective January 1, 1996, California law (SB 889) requires every perinatal provider to provide HIV counseling and to offer HIV testing to all pregnant women.
In support of the law, the Department's Office of AIDS will furnish providers with a variety of educational materials designed to standardize the counseling and information provided to women about the critical benefits of HIV testing and drug treatment therapy. Through this targeted campaign, it is hoped that thousands of at-risk women will hear the message and take positive action.
A 1994 study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health concluded that AZT therapy reduced HIV transmission from HIV-infected mothers to their babies by almost two-thirds, from approximately 25 percent among pregnant women not using the AIDS drug to 8.3 percent among pregnant women receiving AZT therapy.
"With the facts that the AZT drug will significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to baby, the Department strongly supports and encourages HIV counseling and testing for pregnant women, especially those engaged in high-risk behavior," added Belshe.
Counseling before and after an HIV test enables trained health care providers to provide HIV-negative individuals with lifesaving information to reduce their future risk for contracting the virus. For those who test positive, immediate support services and medical referrals are provided to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from the mother to the fetus.
Following the distribution of the packets, the Office of AIDS will conduct a series of provider training sessions throughout the state. Trainers will emphasize the need to standardize prevention information provided to perinatal providers and increase access to technical assistance for all interested providers. The Office will develop Spanish-language education materials and an instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
CONTACT: Carla Agar or Norma Arceo, 916/657-3064
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