All India Congress of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 04–08 Jan 2009 · Birla Auditorium, Jaipur

Objective: National adult HIV prevalence in India is approximately 0,.36 percent, amounting to between 2 and 3.1 million people whereas the prevalence rate for adult females is 0.29 percent, while for males it is 0.43 percent. This means that for every 100 people living with HIV and AIDS, 61 are men and 39 women. Majority of women infected are in their childbearing years and perinatal transmission of HIV in India is a cause for concern. Foliowing the development of interventions that can effectively reduce vertical transmission rate, prenatal screening of HIV has become the first and most pivotal step in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission.