Care of women with HIV infection - a gynaecologist/obstetrician’s perspective

Women, especially those in the reproductive age group, make up more than 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Most of these infections are acquired via heterosexual transmission, and therefore the interaction between HIV infection and most of the gynaecological conditions is to be expected. Further research is needed to shed more light into factors that influence the interplay between HIV transmission and genital tract infections and neoplasia, as well as the effect of hormones. Adequate counselling regarding the choice of contraception for the HIV infected woman is important for the individual(especially those living in the developing world where other factors such as poor nutrition may influence the progression of the disease) as well as reduce the incidence of HIV, especially through perinatal transmission