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International recommendations on antiretroviral drugs for treatment of HIV-infected women and prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in resource-limited settings: 2006 update.

Dao H, Mofenson LM, Ekpini R, Gilks CF, Barnhart M, Bolu O, Shaffer N

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD, TB Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. hcd1@cdc.gov

The World Health Organization recommends that countries adopt more effective antiretroviral regimens to increase the effectiveness of the prevention of mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission programs. The 2006 guidelines recommend a tiered approach for the delivery of antiretroviral to pregnant women who are infected with HIV and include triple-drug antiretroviral treatment for those women who are eligible. Those women who are not eligible for antiretroviral treatment should receive a combination prophylaxis antiretroviral regimen, preferably zidovudine from 28 weeks of gestation; zidovudine, lamivudine, and a single dose of nevirapine during delivery; and zidovudine and lamivudine for 7 days after delivery to reduce the development of nevirapine resistance. Newborn infants should receive a single dose of nevirapine and 1-4 weeks of zidovudine, depending on the duration of the regimen received by the mother. Although steps are being taken to provide more effective regimens, the use of single-dose nevirapine alone should still be used in situations in which more effective regimens are not yet feasible or available. HIV transmission through breastfeeding remains a problem, and several interventions are under evaluation that include maternal and/or infant antiretroviral prophylaxis during breastfeeding.

Published 10 September 2007 in Am J Obstet Gynecol, 197(3): S42-55.
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