Dr. Weiß: According to estimates by the Robert Koch Institute, 400 to 500 HIV-infected women in Germany give birth to children every year. This was not always the case: until the early 1990s, some people were advised not to become pregnant if they were infected with HIV. Due to the lack of effective treatment options and high viral loads, expectant mothers had to fear that infection could pass from mother to child. In addition, life expectancy with HIV and progression to full-blown AIDS was significantly reduced.

Dr. Weiß: Even today, the risk of infection for the child without medical intervention during pregnancy and birth is 15 to 25 percent, with breastfeeding even up to 45 percent. However, for expectant mothers whose viral load is constantly below the detection limit thanks to the consistent implementation of their antiretroviral therapy (ART), the risk of HIV transmission is less than one percent. This means that vaginal births are also possible without hesitation if there are no other medical reasons for not doing so. More and more women are also deciding to breastfeed despite having HIV, as here too the risk is considered minimal with good treatment. With effective ART, we can advise HIV-positive mothers to have a "normal" pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding period without an increased risk of infecting the child.