Zidovudine given for HIV in preganancy because -

Ans. is 'a' i.e., Decreases the risk of veical transmission Treatment during Pregnancy HIV infected mother can transmit the virus to fetus/infant during pregnancy, during delivery or by breast feeding. o Early diagnosis and antiretroviral therapy to mother and infant significantly decrease the rate of intrapaum and perinatal transmission (veical transmission) of HIV infection. o Zidovudine treatment of HIV infected pregnant women from the beginning of second trimester through delivery and of infant for 6 weeks following bih decreases the rate of transmission from 22.6% to < 5%. o 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. Treatment of HIV infection in general (HAA) o It includes 3 or more drugs, of which one or two are always NIs. o The combination may be 2 NRITs + 1 protease inhibitor or 1NRITs + 1NNRITs + 1PI. For prophylaxis a combination of two NIs (regimen A) or a combination of two NRITs plus a protease inhibitor (regimen B) may be used - regimen B is preffered.