Kari Leonard
October 24, 2008
3:07pm
This article is about what the treatment of HAART can do for women and children in developing countries. HAART stands for highly active antiretroviral therapy. It is used to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child and to promote child survival. If there is any way that HIV-infected mothers who breast-feed can have a harm-reduction alternative then it is essential for them to use this alternative to protect their children. In a study by Kuhn, it was found that “the risk of mother-to-child transmission or death among breast-fed infants whether abruptly weaned or not, was more than 30%.” Mothers should consider alternatives. HAART is now available to HIV-infected persons in Zambia, Malawi, and the Dominican Republic. Other alternatives include formula and improved access to potable water. Pregnant women in developing countries can use formula, home-purified water, prophylaxis regimens for infants and HAART.
It seems as though HAART is working in these countries. The fact that these developing countries have found a way to work around their resource-limited country to help prevent HIV from transmitting into the children. I never thought about something as easy to come by in the United States, like, formula would be so difficult to get in these countries. You never think about the fact that most of them rely on breast-feeding to feed their children. Well I am excited that they now have alternatives to keep their children safe.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/359/17/1845
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