Routine voluntary antepartum HIV antibody counseling and testing: a sound public health prevention strategy

Routine voluntary antepartum HIV antibody counseling and testing are important HIV prevention strategies based on sound public health principles. The ultimate goal of this testing strategy is two-fold: identification of high-risk seronegative women for risk reduction counseling; and identification of HIV-infected parturients for counseling, prenatal care, and long-term medical management. To achieve these objectives, there must be nationwide implementation of the CDC HIV prenatal testing guidelines. Our challenge as healthcare providers is to ensure that all of our prenatal patients are afforded the opportunity to have HIV counseling and testing performed.