The vulnerability of women and infants to HIV was intensively discussed at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, July 18-23.
Gender inequality makes a woman more at risk for HIV, especially in developing countries where less than half of pregnant women who are HIV positive have access to treatment, said Dr. Brigitte Schmied, president of the Austrian AIDS Society and co-chairperson of the conference.
“To deny a woman the tools and information she needs to protect and care for her own health and that of her child is to deny the value of their lives,” said Schmied at a session on Thursday. “Gender inequality puts women at greater risk for HIV and also means that sufficient resources are not being provided to implement even the simplest and most effective interventions,” she added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 400,000 infants are infected with HIV each year as a result of mother-to-child transmission. In 2008, about 2.1 million children under 15 were living with HIV, and about 390,000 die each year.
Dr. Elaine J. Abrams, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Columbia University and expert in the subject of AIDS prevention spoke about eliminating mother-to-child transmission.
Transmission can occur during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postnatal breastfeeding. Without any treatment the risk of transmission is very high, about 25-45 percent. Taking medication during these periods significantly reduces that risk, said Abrams. Abrams said that in places with wide access to antiviral treatment, like Europe and the United States, the results are remarkable, with a less than 2 percent infection rate.
Ninety-five percent of people with HIV live in developing countries and young women are disproportionally represented. Studies show that women living in these regions also ran high risk in getting HIV infection through their partners.
On the brighter side, a recent United Nations report said that HIV-prevalence among young people is declining in 15 of the 21 most affected countries. Youth have learned to protect themselves through changing their sexual behavior, like waiting longer to become sexually active and having fewer partners.
An estimated 33.4 million people worldwide live with HIV-AIDS, reports the WHO. Currently, there is still no cure for AIDS, although current treatments can prolong the time between the HIV infection and the onset of AIDS.
Prevention remains the only way to stay safe, according to the WHO.
Gender inequality makes a woman more at risk for HIV, especially in developing countries where less than half of pregnant women who are HIV positive have access to treatment, said Dr. Brigitte Schmied, president of the Austrian AIDS Society and co-chairperson of the conference.
“To deny a woman the tools and information she needs to protect and care for her own health and that of her child is to deny the value of their lives,” said Schmied at a session on Thursday. “Gender inequality puts women at greater risk for HIV and also means that sufficient resources are not being provided to implement even the simplest and most effective interventions,” she added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 400,000 infants are infected with HIV each year as a result of mother-to-child transmission. In 2008, about 2.1 million children under 15 were living with HIV, and about 390,000 die each year.
Dr. Elaine J. Abrams, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Columbia University and expert in the subject of AIDS prevention spoke about eliminating mother-to-child transmission.
Transmission can occur during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postnatal breastfeeding. Without any treatment the risk of transmission is very high, about 25-45 percent. Taking medication during these periods significantly reduces that risk, said Abrams. Abrams said that in places with wide access to antiviral treatment, like Europe and the United States, the results are remarkable, with a less than 2 percent infection rate.
Ninety-five percent of people with HIV live in developing countries and young women are disproportionally represented. Studies show that women living in these regions also ran high risk in getting HIV infection through their partners.
On the brighter side, a recent United Nations report said that HIV-prevalence among young people is declining in 15 of the 21 most affected countries. Youth have learned to protect themselves through changing their sexual behavior, like waiting longer to become sexually active and having fewer partners.
An estimated 33.4 million people worldwide live with HIV-AIDS, reports the WHO. Currently, there is still no cure for AIDS, although current treatments can prolong the time between the HIV infection and the onset of AIDS.
Prevention remains the only way to stay safe, according to the WHO.
