Factors responsible for mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 - a review.

Many factors have been identified to influence the risk of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Chief amongst these is high maternal VL and advanced disease. High maternal viral load (mVL), measured at delivery, has been described as the strongest risk factor for both in utero (IU) and intrapartum (IP) transmission. Similarly, CD4+ T cell count and clinical stage of infection are also the confirmed significant predictors of transmission. Correspondingly, higher mVL in the genital tract has also been independently associated with a higher risk of MTCT of HIV-1. So, the present review article would put light on various aspects of factors responsible for MTCT of HIV in pediatric patients.