Özet:

In the developed world, antiretroviral therapy (ART) administered to the mother during pregnancy and intrapartum and to the infant in the neonatal period has resulted in a re-duction of the overall risk of vertical transmission of HIV to approximately 8%. In some set-tings, ART combined with cesarean section and a reduction in duration of ruptured mem-branes has resulted in a further lessening of risk to levels ≤ 2%. The pediatrician has a key role in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by identifying HIV-exposed infants whose mothers' HIV infection was not diagnosed before delivery, prescribing antiretroviral prophylaxis for these infants to decrease the risk of acquiring HIV infection, and promoting avoidance of HIV transmission through human milk. In addition, the pediatrician can pro-vide care for HIV-exposed infants by monitoring them for early determination of HIV infec-tion status and for possible short and long-term toxicities of antiretroviral exposure, provi-ding chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis pneumonia, and supporting families living with HIV infection by providing counseling to parents or caregivers.

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