Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an RNA retrovirus that specifically infects CD4 lymphocytes, which are eventually destroyed, leaving patients with declining immune function and susceptible to multiple opportunistic infections and malignant diseases. HIV infection in pregnant women has now become a major concern in the global AIDS epidemic.
Clinical manifestations: HIV infection can be clinically divided into four stages as the disease progresses.
Stage I: acute form of infection, a few weeks after infection with the virus, symptoms similar to mononucleosis, the emergence of viremia, later acute infection symptoms remission; Stage II: latent phase, the patient has no clinical symptoms, but virus-specific antibodies appear, the replication of the virus continues, especially in the lymphocyte tissue viral inoculum increasing, the patient’s immune function continues to weaken, the disease is still developing; Stage III Pre-AIDS, the patient develops symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, vomiting, chronic diarrhea, persistent fever, extensive lymphadenopathy and often cellular or fungal infections, the patient becomes debilitated and loses significant weight; IV: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, the final stage in the development of HIV infection.
Treatment: HIV infection in pregnant women should be routinely detected by serological methods in high-risk groups, and those who are seropositive should be patiently explained the mutual effects of HIV infection and pregnancy, the chances of vertical transmission and good counseling to minimize the patient’s psychological burden, strengthen care, and give adequate nutrition and rest. It is up to the pregnant woman to choose whether to continue the pregnancy or not. Women who are adapted to pregnancy should be encouraged to stop drug abuse and have safe sex, and be given focused supervision, early detection and prevention of HIV-related diseases, and if necessary, termination of pregnancy.
Preventive measures: ① Maternal antiviral therapy can reduce exposure to the virus during the delivery period.
②Prevention of infection during and after exposure.
③Reducing exposure of the newborn to HIV during breastfeeding.
④Antiretroviral treatment has been shown to reduce the rate of vertical transmission of HIV.