[AIDS: problems and consequences in gynecology and obstetrics]

The increasing infection of young pregnant women with the LAV/HTLV-III virus means that AIDS is now also becoming a problem for the gynecologist. This article reports on findings in 6 women, four of whom have borne a child. The three children examined to date are infected, with one of the children manifesting a lymphadenopathy syndrome. This supports the supposition that, in the majority of cases, a diaplacental transmission of the virus to the child takes place during pregnancy. Since pregnancy, moreover, leads to a deterioration in the patient's condition, termination should be advised to women who are seropositive. Now that women belonging to non-risk groups have been found to be infected, generous interpretation of the known indications for antibody scanning in young women is recommended.