Test programme prevents up to 100 babies from contracting HIV

HIV testing of expectant mothers saved up to 100 unborn babies from contracting the virus in one four-year period.

The first report of the voluntary antenatal HIV screening programme shows it identified 290 women who had no idea they were infected and that their unborn child was at risk.

Between 15 and 35% of expectant mothers with HIV will pass it on to their babies if they do not get specialist medical treatment during pregnancy and delivery — which would have equated to as many as 101 babies over the four years studied — but the number born with HIV during that period was just seven.