If a woman with HIV is pregnant, the virus can be transmitted to
her child during pregnancy, labor, delivery and breastfeeding.
Syphilis is another serious disease that can be transmitted from
mother to child. The transmission of HIV and syphilis can be
drastically reduced with simple and affordable measures.
However, many challenges remain in the region of the Americas
for universal diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. One
of them is the poor integration of the different health services
used by pregnant women. PAHO works together with the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners to promote a
comprehensive and integrated approach to prevention of vertical
transmission of HIV and syphilis. Last Updated on Tuesday, 14
May 2013 09:42