Risks of perinatal transmission are increased if the mother has an advanced case of the HIV disease, large amounts of HIV in her blood stream, or few immune system cells, CD 4+ T cells, which are the main targets of HIV (10).
Other factors that may increase the risk of transmission are maternal drug use, severe inflammation of fetal membranes, or a prolonged period between membrane rupture and delivery (10, 13, 14).
In one study, HIV infected women who gave birth more than four hours after their fetal membranes were ruptured were twice as likely to transmit the HIV virus to the infant as compared to women who gave birth within that four hour period (10).
In the same study, HIV infected women who used heroin or crack / cocaine during pregnancy were also twice as likely to transmit HIV to their babies than were women infected with the virus who were not injecting drugs. Another risk of transmission is from a nursing mother to her infant (5, 10, 14).
A recent analysis suggested that breast-feeding introduces an additional risk of HIV transmission of about 14% (10).
In one case, uninfected women who received a Cesarean section needed a blood transfusion due to the massive amounts of lost blood. The baby boy was breast fed, and it was later found that the blood that was given to the women was contaminated with HIV. The mother and baby were both tested and both found to carry the antibodies of HIV. The mother was apparently infected with the disease after delivery. Hence, the baby could have only been infected through breast feeding (5).
The Essay on Does Cerumen have a risk for transmission of diseases?
I learned in the A & P course that ear wax (or cerumen) is a waxy secretion by ceruminous gland (= modified sebaceous gland), mixed with sloughed epithelial cells, which inhibits the growth of certain bacteria due to its acidic pH. It also protects the skin of the external auditory canal by providing a waterproof layer, so, it’s something beneficial to us. Sure enough, there appear to be ...
For this reason, women who are infected with HIV are recommended to stay way from breast-feeding, despite the slight chance of infection (5, 10, 14).
To prevent transmission of HIV to infants, Zidovudine (AZT) (10, 13, 15) and prophylaxis are recommended for pregnant women (13).
There is limited knowledge with AZT. However, it is known that it crosses the placenta and can be detected in fetal tissue and amniotic fluids (13).
When AZT is given shortly before therapeutic abortion of delivery, serum amounts in the newborn are similar to those in the mother; thus reducing the risk of maternal-infant transmission by two thirds (10).
AZT is still being studied and perfected. With further advances, AZT may be able to reduce the risk of transmission to an undetectable amount, giving HIV infected women a less stressful decision when deciding whether or not to continue with their pregnancy. CONCLUSION: More women are becoming infected with HIV. With earlier testing and treatment, women can live with HIV as long as men can. However, in a male-dominated medical establishment, women’s health issues are often ignored (16).
Some women go straight to their deaths, while others are diagnosed after it is too late (16).
Women need to know more about how they can be infected, and should get tested for HIV if they think that there is any chance that they have been exposed to the virus. This is especially true for pregnant women. Not only are they endangering their own lives, they may be putting an unborn child at risk for a disease that might have been avoidable. If the cycle of female infection is to be broken, health workers must be able to provide appropriate education, counseling and care to women (16).
If women are to receive optimal AIDS health care, research must be done specifically to target women (16).
In the meantime, peoples fears and ignorance about HIV and AIDS must end by increasing the education of the affects of HIV on women. Until the understanding of AIDS as it relates to women becomes clear enough to health care workers, women will still suffer from the rising AIDS epidemic.
The Essay on Hiv & Aids
HIV and AIDS Introduction HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus can be passed from one another through blood to blood and sexual contact. A person with HIV has an incredibly weak immune system, causing them to contract one of numerous disease that causes AIDS, which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Causes Someone cannot "get" ...
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