Prevention
To lower the risk of developing HIV or AIDS:
• Reduce unsafe sexual behavior and treat sexually transmitted diseases
• Adhere to proper and consistent use of latex or polyurethane condoms when engaging in vaginal, anal, or oral sexual activity.
• Never share needles with another person.
• Follow proper precautions if you are a healthcare worker.
• HIV-infected women can reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to their babies by taking a drug called zidovidune (AZT) during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and by giving their babies the drug for the first 6 weeks after birth. Recently, the combination of Zidovudine and Nevirapine was found to be even more effective in preventing maternal-fetal transmission of HIV (NEJM Vol 351:217-228, Number 3, “Single-Dose Perinatal Nevirapine plus Standard Zidovudine to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1 in Thailand”). HIV infected women should not breastfeed, as HIV can be transmitted through mother's milk.
If HIV is spread through sexual contact it is important to screen for other sexually transmitted diseases.
