The HIV epidemic is spreading at an alarming pace through many developing countries, increasing the maternal and infant mortality rates, and adding to the financial burden of providing health services to all communities. Nowhere is the devastating effect of this infection more obvious than in the transmission of HIV from mothers to their infants. In order to decrease this risk, all healthcare workers dealing with HIV-positive mothers and infants will need to receive additional training. Perinatal HIV was written to address this challenge.

This book enables midwives, nurses and doctors to care for pregnant women and their infants in communities where HIV infection is present. Special emphasis has been placed on the prevention of mother-to-infant transmission of HIV.

Chapters have been written on HIV infection, antenatal, intrapartum and infant care, and counselling. Colleagues from a number of hospitals and universities in South Africa were invited to review and comment on the draft document in order to achieve a well-balanced text. It is hoped that this training opportunity will help to stem the tide of HIV infection in our children.

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