Abstract

The foremost documentation of AIDS in the United States in 1981 primarily involved cases among individuals identifying as homosexual. However, subsequent reports have confirmed HIV infection in all nations around the globe, leading to the emergence of a global epidemic. One of the major burdens of HIV/AIDS is the mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT). Pregnant women constitute a unique demographic in treatment considerations, primarily due to the potential to avert mother- to-child transmission (MTCT) by antiretroviral therapy, alongside the necessity to ensure the safety of the women and their exposed fetuses and offspring(s). The main source of pediatric HIV infection is vertical transmission from mother to child, which may occur during pregnancy, at the moment of delivery, or postnatally during breastfeeding. In 2022, the Sub-Saharan African region accounted for 84% of new pediatric infections worldwide. This essay examines the past and present preventive methods against MTCT in the region.


Material and methods


An online search of relevant published articles in Scopus, Research Gate, PubMed, and Embase from 1996 to 2024 was conducted; 49 of these articles were adapted for this article.


Results


The journey in the fight against vertical transmission of HIV in the Sub- Saharan African region has recorded significant successes over the years; although there are a few drawbacks to the preventive strategies currently being employed across the region. With further strengthened collaborative efforts between healthcare providers and other key stakeholders in the HIV prevention/elimination programme, mother-to- child transmission of HIV can become a thing of the past soon.