been diagnosed with AIDS and a further fifty-three are known to have HIV infection. These figures only reflect women who have had the HIV test.

The reason why health departments worldwide differentiate between HIV and AIDS is because HIV infection can precede AIDS by two to ten years and the number of persons with AIDS is just a small portion of the number who are HIV infected.

At present in Bermuda and in some of the urban areas in the United States, there is a twenty five to thirty percent chance that a baby born to a mother with HIV, may become infected.

It is important for a woman who knows she has HIV to give careful consideration to becoming pregnant. There are three issues she needs to discuss with her partner, her doctor and/or her HIV counsellor. They are: 1. the risks to her health 2. the risks to her baby 3. the risks to her partner Careful counselling with all the available information is given so that the woman can make her own informed decision. If she decides to proceed with the pregnancy, she is given as much advice and support as possible in order to maintain a state of well-being. However, some women may be advised not to become pregnant because of progressive illness.

If she decides to have the pregnancy terminated, she may need extra support to help her with the very difficult and painful feelings she may have. Pregnant women who have HIV are advised not to breast feed their baby, as breast milk is known to contain the HIV virus. There have been a few reported instances in certain countries where a baby has become infected with HIV due to breast feeding. Some have occurred because a previously uninfected mother, received a contaminated blood transfusion after the birth of her baby, since 1985, all donated blood is thoroughly screened for HIV.

Once the baby is born, the true HIV status will not be known until the infant is 18 to 24 months of age. During this time, a Health Visitor is available to give support and advice and to help the mother make decisions regarding the future of her and the baby.

Some children with HIV infection can remain well for many years. Others may become ill in the first years of life and not survive childhood. Whether a child is with or without symptoms, they should still be immunised for the usual childhood infections such as mumps, measles, rubella, etc. -- Rhonda C.K. Daniels, Nurse Epidemiologist, Dept. of Health.