• Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the spread of HIV from a woman living with HIV to her child during pregnancy, childbirth (also called labor and delivery), or breastfeeding (through breast milk). Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is also called perinatal transmission of HIV.
  • The use of HIV medicines and other strategies have helped to lower the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to 1% or less in the United States and Europe. (HIV medicines are called antiretrovirals.)
  • Pregnant women with HIV take HIV medicines during pregnancy and childbirth to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. A scheduled viral load (more than 1,000 copies/mL) or an unknown viral load near the time of delivery.
  • After birth, babies born to women with HIV receive HIV medicine to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Several factors determine what HIV medicine they receive and how long they receive the medicine.
  • Despite ongoing use of HIV medicines after childbirth, a woman with HIV can still pass HIV to her baby while breastfeeding. In the United States, infant formula is a safe and readily available alternative to breast milk. For these reasons, women with HIV who live in the United States should not breastfeed their babies.