Every year, June is the Peak Month for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV to further promote communication and provision of services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In 2025, the Peak Month has the theme: "Towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis by 2030".
HIV is a disease caused by the HIV virus, which can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, drug injection or sharing needles, contact with infected blood or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Currently, the health sector has implemented many interventions to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child, such as voluntary HIV counseling and testing for pregnant women, treatment to prevent transmission for pregnant women infected with HIV and their children with antiretroviral drugs (ARV); counseling and support for appropriate feeding for children born to HIV-infected mothers; referring HIV-infected women and their children after birth to HIV/AIDS treatment facilities for appropriate, long-term management, care and treatment.
In addition, medical centers in districts, towns, cities and commune and ward health stations all provide HIV testing counseling for pregnant women; general hospitals and clinics all perform HIV testing techniques; provide adequate HIV transmission prevention drugs for pregnant women with HIV and children born to HIV-infected mothers...
Responding to the Peak Month for Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission, health units have stepped up communication and propaganda activities in the community to raise people's awareness of the benefits of early access to HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis testing services, prevention, care and treatment of mother-to-child HIV transmission, and counseling pregnant women and women of childbearing age to get tested for HIV...
According to data from the Provincial Center for Disease Control, in the first 6 months of 2025, the number of pregnant women who received HIV counseling and testing was 4,041, of which 3 pregnant women were found to be infected with HIV. Thanks to the effectiveness of HIV prevention treatment from mother to child with anti-HIV drugs immediately after birth according to regulations of the Ministry of Health , 11 children born to HIV-infected mothers (including pregnant mothers newly diagnosed with HIV and pregnant HIV-infected mothers) were all born healthy, not infected with HIV.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Thuong, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Lao Cai General Hospital, said: Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is one of the three main ways of HIV infection, with a risk rate of mother-to-child transmission of 15 - 45%. However, if the mother is diagnosed early and treated effectively, the rate of mother-to-child transmission is only 2 - 6%, or even 0%. Therefore, HIV prevention treatment from mother to child is an important solution to reduce the rate of children born with HIV from their mothers. This gives children the opportunity to live healthy and develop normally. Currently, ARV treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission has achieved many advances, in which TLD is a combination drug, consisting of tenofovir, lamivudine, dolutegravir. When taking the drug, the viral load can be reduced below the detection threshold after 3 - 4 weeks.
Dr. Hong Thuong added: For mothers who are infected with HIV, they need to start ARV treatment early, take ARV drugs for at least 3-4 weeks and comply with treatment well, and should consult a specialist about the time of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the mother needs to have regular check-ups at a medical facility to receive advice and guidance on maternity care, choosing a suitable place to give birth, especially the need to comply with treatment... to maximize the possibility of transmitting HIV to the child. After giving birth, the mother infected with HIV also needs to go to an HIV/AIDS treatment facility to continue monitoring her health and receiving ARV treatment. Children immediately after birth (within 24 hours) need to take ARV drugs as directed by the doctor to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. HIV can be transmitted from mother to child because HIV is present in breast milk or blood, secretions from cracks in the mother's nipples, so feeding the baby with formula can reduce the risk of transmission from mother to child through breast milk...
There are still many barriers to preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission, such as fear of testing, fear of discrimination, and lack of understanding of prevention methods. Therefore, propaganda work needs to be further promoted by localities. Each citizen should understand correctly and proactively implement preventive measures so that women can have a safe journey to motherhood, without discrimination or stigma, towards a generation of children not affected by HIV...
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chu-dong-du-phong-lay-truyen-hiv-tu-me-sang-con-post403937.html
Comment (0)