Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia, Inc. - Thursday, November 21, 1996
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the change came because more pregnant women were tested for HIV and, if the test was positive, took the drug zidovudine (AZT) to reduce the chance of transmitting it to their babies.
It estimated that 663 newborn infants acquired AIDS from their mothers in 1995. The figure has been declining every year since 1992, when 905 infants were diagnosed as perinatally infected.
"We have seen, particularly in the Northeast and the South, declines in perinatal AIDS cases," said Dr. Mary Lou Lindegren of the surveillance branch of the CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.
The CDC said the reduction in perinatal AIDS cases probably occurred because more pregnant women underwent HIV counseling and voluntary testing and used zidovudine to prevent transmission of the AIDS virus to their babies.
There was a decline of 8 percent in perinatal AIDS cases among infants from 1993 to 1994 and a drop of 17 percent from 1994 to 1995. Lindegren called the decrease "extremely encouraging early news about the impact of Public Health Service recommendations for the use of zidovudine and women accepting HIV testing during pregnancy."
A CDC study found zidovudine use rose from 17 percent to 80 percent among HIV-infected pregnant women after the Public Health Service issued guidelines recommending the use of the drug during pregnancy and childbirth. The guidelines also urge that babies of HIV-infected women be given zidovudine for six weeks after birth.
Lindegren said it was not known if zidovudine's greatest value was in reducing viral transmission in the womb or during delivery or because it protects a newborn who might become infected through breast-feeding.
"We think most of the transmission occurs during labor and delivery," he said. Researchers found in 1994 that giving pregnant women zidovudine could reduce by two-thirds the chance they would transmit the AIDS virus to their babies.
As of Sept. 30, 566,002 AIDS cases had been reported to the CDC among all age groups including 7,472 among children under age 13. Ninety percent of children with AIDS were infected perinatally. The rest for whom a cause was known were infected through contaminated blood or blood products.
961121
RE961190
Copyright © 1996 - Reuters, Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Contact Reuters.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1996. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1996. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .