Question:
Mother to baby transmission of HIV can be minimised by all of the following except?
Mother to baby transmission of HIV can be minimised by all of the following except?
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Elective caesarean, not vaginal birth, cuts intrapartum HIV transmission.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Zidovudine
- HAART
- Vaginal delivery
- Avoidance of breast feeding
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Identify the question type. This is an except question, so three options reduce vertical (mother to child) transmission of HIV and one does not.
Step 2: Recall routes of vertical transmission. HIV can pass from mother to child in utero, during labour and delivery (exposure to maternal blood and genital secretions), and through breast milk.
Step 3: Evaluate antiretroviral options. Zidovudine and HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) lower the maternal viral load. A low or undetectable viral load greatly reduces the risk of transmission at every stage, so both clearly help.
Step 4: Evaluate breastfeeding. Avoidance of breast feeding (where safe replacement feeding is available) removes the postnatal breast milk route of transmission, so it also reduces risk.
Step 5: Evaluate mode of delivery. Vaginal delivery exposes the neonate to maternal blood and genital secretions in the birth canal. In a mother with a high viral load this increases transmission risk; an elective caesarean section is what reduces intrapartum transmission. Therefore vaginal delivery does NOT minimise transmission.
Conclusion: All except vaginal delivery reduce vertical transmission, so the answer is option C.
Step 2: Recall routes of vertical transmission. HIV can pass from mother to child in utero, during labour and delivery (exposure to maternal blood and genital secretions), and through breast milk.
Step 3: Evaluate antiretroviral options. Zidovudine and HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) lower the maternal viral load. A low or undetectable viral load greatly reduces the risk of transmission at every stage, so both clearly help.
Step 4: Evaluate breastfeeding. Avoidance of breast feeding (where safe replacement feeding is available) removes the postnatal breast milk route of transmission, so it also reduces risk.
Step 5: Evaluate mode of delivery. Vaginal delivery exposes the neonate to maternal blood and genital secretions in the birth canal. In a mother with a high viral load this increases transmission risk; an elective caesarean section is what reduces intrapartum transmission. Therefore vaginal delivery does NOT minimise transmission.
Conclusion: All except vaginal delivery reduce vertical transmission, so the answer is option C.
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