Women who initiate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or who have their first prenatal visit in the third trimester are more likely to have HIV detected at delivery, researchers say. “We found that a quarter of women who started treatment in the third trimester of pregnancy had a detectable viral load at delivery,” Dr. Ingrid T. Katz from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston told Reuters Health by email. “Although the optimal timing is unknown, women should start before the third trimester and it’s likely that the earlier they start, the better their outcome will be. However, it is important to note that the benefits of earlier HAART initiation must be weighed against potential risks of drug exposure to the fetus during the first trimester.”

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