Perinatal Transmission
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Synonym(s)
Maternal-Child Transmission, Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT), Vertical Transmission
When a parent with HIV passes the virus to the infant during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or breastfeeding/chestfeeding (feeding a child one's own milk). Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are given to women with HIV during pregnancy and to their infants after birth to reduce the likelihood of perinatal transmission of HIV. ARV drugs also protect the health of women with HIV during pregnancy and after delivery.
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