HIV+ mothers give birth to healthy kids at AIIMS

New Delhi: Nov 23, 2010

Doctors at AIIMS claim that they have successfully helped HIV positive women to deliver 84 children since August 2004, the highest number in all government hospitals across the country. Of these, 83 children are healthy and free from HIV infection. Head of the gynaecology department Dr Suneeta Mittal said 61% of these children were delivered through caesarean procedure as it reduces the chances of infection transmission by one-third. ‘‘We screened more than 10,000 pregnant women admitted at AIIMS under ‘Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission’ programme. Of these, 128 women tested positive for the disease. Fifteen percent opted for termination of the pregnancy while others were operated on and given the required drugs,’’ Mittal said.

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