BeTeamRED

Treatment for HIV consists of antiretrovirals (ARVs), a type of medication that stops the virus from replicating within the body and helps prevent the breakdown of the immune system. ARVs have another benefit: in addition to treatment, they also help prevent the transmission of the virus. Studies have shown that people on ARV therapy reduce their chances of transmitting the virus by 97 percent.
Without ARVs an HIV positive mother can have up to a 45% chance of transmitting the virus to her unborn child, but when that same mother receives properly administered treatment during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding, the rate of transmission can be reduced to less than 5%. While there have been significant reductions in the spread and transmission of HIV, there are still over 600 babies being born every day with a preventable virus. We must act now to get that number close to zero.