HIV screening to be offered to pregnant women

Northland women are to be offered HIV screening as part of routine testing during pregnancy, as part of a Ministry of Health initiative.


The screening process, which will go live in Northland in July, replaces the previous system of only testing women for HIV if they meet certain risk-based criteria.

HIV screening will be offered to all pregnant women routinely, at the same time as other antenatal blood tests are performed in the first trimester.

Karen Richards, Northland DHB's Antenatal HIV Coordinator, said: "If a pregnant woman tests positive for HIV and she receives treatment, the risk of transmitting the infection to her unborn child is very low - less than 1 per cent. For untreated women the risk of transmitting to the baby is 25 to 30 per cent.

"We expect the majority of women to test negative, but for those who are HIV positive, treatment during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of transmitting the infection and leads to a much better outcome for the mother and baby."

A woman with untreated HIV can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth or when breastfeeding.

The screening can be performed by a midwife, GP or GP practice nurse as part of a pregnant woman's antenatal care, and test results are confidential.





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For further information, please contact:

Clare Blackburn, Communications Manager

Northland District Health Board 

Phone (09) 430 4101 ext 3315