Question

Mother-to-child HIV transmission can occur through which of the following routes?

Options

• Only through breast milk after delivery

• Only through the placenta during pregnancy

• Through the placenta, during birth, shortly after birth, or through breast milk

• Only during the labor and delivery process

Answer 1

An infected mother can transmit HIV to her child through multiple routes: transplacental transmission before birth, during birth through contact with infected blood and body fluids, shortly after birth, or through breast milk. This vertical transmission is a significant concern requiring intervention strategies such as antiretroviral therapy and appropriate infant feeding practices.