Keeping Baby Safe

There's a growing body of research showing that drug holidays can be dangerous, but a study in the March 23 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases highlights a particular group of HIVers who should never consider treatment interruption: pregnant women. A study of 937 HIV-positive pregnant women has shown that stopping therapy during the first trimester boosts the risk of vertical transmission from 1.3% to 4.9%, and stopping treatment during the third trimester increases risk to 18.2%. So moms, keep your babies safe by sticking to your treatment plan.