Özet:

Objective: HIV/AIDS is an important public health problem with severe individual and social consequences all over the world and in our country. Every year, 1.3 million women become pregnant worldwide, and mother to child transmission of HIV accounts for 9% of new HIV infections globally. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate infants born to HIV-infected mothers, and to evaluate the results of the methods applied to prevent perinatal transmission. Material and Methods: The clinical and laboratory characteristics of infants born to HIV-infected mothers, who were followed up in the Pediatric Infectious Diseases clinic between January 2015 and December 2020, were analyzed retrospectively. Results: In our study, 22 infants born to HIV-infected mothers were followed over a six-year period. 14 (63.6%) of the infants were male. One infant was 34 weeks premature and the others were term. 12 (54.5%) mothers knew they had HIV before they became pregnant. 10 mothers were diagnosed during pregnancy scans. Four (40%) of these were in the first trimester and six (60%) were in the last trimester. 19 (86.4%) patients received antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy. The HIV RNA result of the mothers at the time of delivery was found to be 14 (63.6%) negative, seven (31.8%) positive and one (4.5%) unknown. Seven (31%) mothers were given ART prophylaxis during delivery. 19 (86.4%) infants were delivered by C-section. None of them had been breastfed. 20 (90.9%) of the patients were bathed as soon as they were born. Oral antiretroviral prophylaxis was started in 21 infants within the first 24 hours after delivery. 19 patients were started only on zidovudine, and 2 patients were started on dual prophylaxis with zidovudine and nevirapine. None of the infants were found to be HIV-infected. Conclusion: It was determined that none of the infants of HIV-infected mothers followed up in our study were infected. In more than 90% of HIV-infected children, the virus is acquired as a result of vertical transmission. Prevention of HIV transmission from mother to infant is possible with some measures such as early diagnosis of HIV-positive pregnant women, increase of antiretroviral therapy in pregnant women, Cesarean delivery, postpartum antiretroviral prophylaxis, avoidance of breastfeeding and bathing the infant as soon as it is born.