Mothers face many challenges during treatment. Knowing more will help them overcome these obstacles and get better care.

The Challenge for Pediatric AIDS:

The antiretroviral drugs needed to end pediatric AIDS exist — but in places like Zambia, many obstacles prevent women and infants from getting the medicines they need.

Research has uncovered new ways to reduce mother-to-child transmission through breast feeding and brings us even closer to ending pediatric HIV infection. On paper, the path to protecting more babies from HIV looks clear:

• Start giving drugs earlier in prenatal care.
• Deliver babies in health centers, not homes.
• Start babies on a daily drug until they are 12 months of age or older.

In the real world, it's not that easy. Weak health systems, little or no pre- and postnatal care, and a lack of birthing centers in Zambia make providing the most effective  treatment regimens to prevent infections  for most women and infants incredibly challenging.

Many women may not disclose their HIV status to others -- including a spouse/partner. Many may not be able to afford to come to the clinic regularly for the whole time period required. And many may have difficulty administering antiretroviral drugs to their babies every day for such a long period of time.

The Innovation for Pediatric AIDS:

We must study first-hand the challenges HIV-positive women and their children face to receiving treatment.

The Foundation will be conducting a research study of HIV-positive women who are following the new HIV prevention regimens, such as the extended infant drug Nevirapine to prevent HIV transmission during breastfeeding. Our goal is to:

• Learn the real world challenges mothers face.
• Determine how best to support mothers to ensure they attend all their clinic visits and take or give all the medicines required to give their baby the best chance of being born and staying HIV-free.
• Find out how we can get men involved so that parents can work together to assure that all is done to protect their baby from HIV.

The knowledge we learn in this study will provide invaluable information for creating future HIV prevention programs designed to work in Zambia - programs that can be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges.