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Nearly 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, and about one-fourth of them are undiagnosed and unaware of their infection. Some people still think that HIV is a disease that primarily affects homosexual men and intravenous drug users, but the statistics tell a different story.   

Roughly 26% of Americans living with HIV are women, and 72% of them were infected through heterosexual sex. In 2004, HIV was the leading cause of death for black women between the ages of 25 and 34 and was a top 10 cause of death for white and Hispanic women in that same age group.   

HIV is spread through contact with bodily fluids—usually blood or semen—of an infected person. It attacks the white blood cells that help fend off infection, leaving the body vulnerable to illness. HIV may be transmitted during sex or by sharing needles to inject drugs. A woman can pass the virus to her baby in the womb, during vaginal delivery, or through breastfeeding. HIV cannot be spread by casual contact with people or objects. 

Some people will have a brief, flu-like illness after contracting the disease, but many will have no signs of infection. 

HIV progresses into AIDS when the white blood cell count drops below a certain level. AIDS patients may be unable to fight off even minor infections. It takes about 11 years for HIV to develop into AIDS. 

To protect yourself and others, get tested—it’s the only way to know your HIV status. Women should think of HIV screening as a normal part of their health care. Just as you get regular Pap tests or have your blood pressure checked, you should be tested for HIV.  

ACOG recommends that all women ages 19 to 64 be routinely tested for HIV. Women with specific risk factors—such as sexually active teens and women over 64 who have multiple partners or a partner with multiple partners—should also be tested. If for some reason you do not want to be screened, talk to your doctor.  

Correct usage of latex condoms every time you have sex can help reduce the risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Know your partner, ask about his or her sexual history, and limit the number of sexual partners that you have. Avoid risky sex practices, such as vaginal or anal sex without a wearing condom. 

 

All pregnant women should be tested for HIV. Early identification of infected women and advances in medicines used to treat HIV have drastically reduced transmission of the virus to infants. Your physician can put you on medications that will reduce the chances of passing HIV to your baby.   

For more information, the Patient Education Pamphlet “HIV Infection in Women” is available in English and Spanish at www.acog.org/publications/ 

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*Douglas H. Kirkpatrick is president of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ♀