Treatment options for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Vertically acquired HIV infection has been virtually eliminated in developed countries through the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), reducing mother-to-child transmission rates to below 1 to 2%. However, with the increasing use of HAART, particularly when initiated before or during early pregnancy, safety and toxicity issues for both women and infants have gained significance. In less developed countries, the effectiveness of simpler and less costly antiretroviral strategies has been shown to be acceptable; however, the high prevalence of resistance associated with the use of monotherapy, in particular single dose nevirapine, has meant increasing attention focused on the use of combination therapy in these countries.