[Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in obstetrics and gynaecology]

HIV infection is increasingly affecting the practice of obstetrics and gynaecology. Gynaecological problems include an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and other genital infections in HIV positive women. Also cervical neoplasia is more common, more severe and progresses more rapidly. The risk of infection to the surgeon during surgical procedures on HIV positive women can be minimized by simple universal precautions. Pregnancy does not affect the course of HIV infection and neither is routine management of antenatal care altered by the infection. However, routine testing of all pregnant women for HIV would enable reduction of the risk of vertical transmission of HIV to the fetus (in Chile about 25%). Levels of vertical transmission could be reduced substantially by using zidovudine in pregnancy (and in the neonate), by cesarean section before active labour and by not breast feeding.