Antenatal maternal HIV diagnosis is of impoance in -

Ans. is 'a' To prevent veical transmission . HIV infected mother can transmit the virus to fetus/infant during pregnancy, during delivery or by breast feeding. . Early diagnosis and antiretroviral therapy to mother and infant significantly decrease the rate of intrapaum and perinatal transmission (Veical transmission) of HIV infection. . Zidovudine treatment of HIV infected pregnant women from the beginning of the second trimester through delivery and of infant for 6 weeks following bih decreases the rate of transmission from 22.6 % to < 5% . Single dose of nevirapine given to the mother at the onset of labor followed by a single dose to the newborn within 72 hours of bih decreased transmission by 50%. This is the prefered regimen now in developing countries.