This contributed volume explores flexible, adaptable, and sustainable solutions to the shockingly high costs of birth across the globe. It presents innovative and collaborative maternity care practices and policies that are intersectional, human rights-based, transdisciplinary, science-driven, and community-based. Each chapter describes participatory and midwifery-oriented care that helps improve maternal and newborn outcomes within minoritized populations. The featured case studies respond to resource constraints and inequities of access by transforming relations between providers and families or by creating more egalitarian relations among diverse providers such as midwives, obstetricians, and nurses that minimize inefficient hierarchies within maternity care. The authors build on a growing awareness that quality and respectful midwifery care has lower costs and improved outcomes for child bearers, newborns, and providers. Topics include: Sustainable collaborations including transfers of care among midwives and obstetricians in India, The Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, and Denmark Midwifery-oriented, femifocal, indigenous, and inclusive models of care that counter obstetric violence and gender stereotypes in Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Argentina, and India Doula care and midwifery care for women of color, previously incarcerated women, indigenous women, and other minoritized groups in the global north and south Practices and metrics for improving quality of newborn and maternal care as well as maternal and newborn outcomes in disruptive times and disaster settings Sustainable Birth in Disruptive Times is an essential and timely resource for providers, policy makers, students, and activists with interests in maternity care, midwifery, medical anthropology, maternal health, newborn health, obstetrics, childbirth, medicine, and global health in disruptive times.

This book addresses the essential topic of child survival in Tanzania, especially focusing on the role of mutual assistance, which has received little attention to date. Further, it identifies a range of key factors for child survival by combining a literature review, regional data analysis, and case studies. These studies center on rural villages in high Under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) regions and assess their strengths and weaknesses regarding child survival. By focusing on deprived rural areas as of 2002 and evaluating the improvements in the 2012 census data, the book also highlights the potential held by rural semi -subsistence economies. An analysis of the focus villages indicates that children in food-sharing circles had better chances of survival. However, food sharing is not necessarily inclusive; a significant number of children have fallen out of such circles, especially in mainland villages. Furthermore, monetary support for children's medicine has often failed to arrive in time. Lastly, the book argues that, in addition to direct factors such as access to health services, water and sanitation, food intake, and education, it is essential that children receive inclusive support at various levels: family, community, village, national, and international.

This book analyzes the effects of parental smoking on all aspects of reproduction and child development. With contributions from respected and authoritative specialists, it includes new research findings and new methods of data analysis, with particular emphasis on social class factors. The authors discuss how smoking affects placental, fetal, and child development. Important subjects covered include the relationships between smoking and pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and respiratory disease in children. The final chapters discuss research related to health education and the prevention of maternal smoking. This comprehensive volume will be of interest to obstetricians, pediatricians, epidemiologists, and those involved in public health medicine.

This casebook profiles exceptional traumatic injury prevention programs from all over the globe. Its detailed description and analysis employ a multi-stage process of identifying, evaluating, and casing effective prevention practices. The case studies reflect how legislative and regulatory information impact prevention efforts and provide insight into how national centers for injury prevention and control inform prevention practices on countrywide levels. The authors work with outcome-based research criteria to select and develop their comprehensive and contextually aware profiles of the programs. All included case studies follow the BRIO approach (Background, Resources, Implementation, and Outcome) - a model designed to provide a consistent way of describing programs that have been evaluated and found to be exceptional practices. The scope of the Casebook ranges across: The challenge of traumatic injury prevention Sports and recreation-related traumatic injury prevention Fall-related traumatic injury prevention Road traffic-related traumatic injury prevention Traumatic injury prevention within complex systems In its recognition of traumatic injury prevention across the lifespan as a critical and complex public health challenge, the Casebook of Traumatic Injury Prevention promises to be an influential and authoritative resource for professionals and students in public health, safety, injury prevention, medicine, psychology, sociology, nursing, and engineering. Government agencies and institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health departments, and safety associations also would find the Casebook relevant to their work.

This book presents models describing HIV transmission rates at population level, discussing the main statistical methods and analytical interventions. It also assesses the practical applicability of the various modelling techniques, offering readers insights into what methods are available and, more importantly, when they should be used to address HIV transmission at global level. The book includes realistic simulation models fitted to clarify the rate of HIV mother-to-child transmission (HIV MTCT), and substantiates the conclusions that can be drawn as well as the appropriate time for making global-level clinical decisions concerning people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs). Intended for students, academics and researchers, the book offers more than just an introduction to the topic - it also features in-depth, yet easy-to-understand, descriptions of a new mathematical/statistical HIV mother-to-child transmission model, making it a useful resource for clinicians, public health workers and policymakers involved in implementing HIV-prevention programmes at national /global level.

The new edition of this practical guide draws on the clinical skills of a wide range of international experts to help you recognize and manage heart disease in pregnancy. Designed for on-the-spot use, this convenient and concise text helps you identify a cardiac problem, understand its pathophysiology, and respond appropriately.

Under the careful editorial direction of Drs. Oakley and Warnes, the Second Edition introduces new contributors from North America and Europe as well as new chapters on:
pulmonary hypertension
rheumatic heart disease
artificial heart valves
Marfan syndrome
auto-immune diseases
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
rhythm disorders
hypertension
cardiac intervention

The entire book is scrupulously updated to reflect the most current standards of care. The contributors - all recognized leaders in their respective fields - outline the pathway to diagnosis and appropriate management by a multi-disciplinary team.

Although heart disease is the leading medical cause of maternal death, clinical trials in this population are few and the evidence base is small. The expert recommendations in Heart Disease in Pregnancy, Second Edition, are a welcome source of information for cardiologists, obstetricians, general practitioners, and all members of the patient care team.

In response to the complexity involved in treating leukemia during pregnancy, and the need to find the most efficient treatment possible without harming the fetus, this book offers essential guidelines for institutions and practitioners alike. Pursuing a comprehensive approach, the book addresses a broad range of subjects, including: pregnancy and its characteristics; staging, pathology, morbidity and what to expect in each type of leukemia; chemotherapy for leukemia in pregnant women with complete trials; dose adjustment of chemotherapy for leukemia in pregnancy based on serum dosages; and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for this unique group of patients. In turn, subsequent chapters focus on protecting the fetus and neonatal management regarding chemotherapy for leukemia in pregnancy, including the treatment and risks for the fetus (for each type of leukemia), intrathecal therapy and its effects on the fetus; supportive drugs, antibiotics and antifungals for pregnant patients during chemotherapy, including intervention and dose adjustments; palliative care for women with leukemia in pregnancy; breastfeeding during treatment for leukemia; pharmacological aspects of supplements, vitamins and nutrition in pregnancy during leukemia treatment; and more. Combining contributions from highly qualified hematology professionals, who have pooled their knowledge to address the treatment of virtually every aspect of leukemia in pregnancy, the book is aimed at a complete pharmacological treatment, including guidelines and trials. It is a must-have not only for institutions providing care for hematology patients, but also for residency programs, research institutions, and professionals in areas that involve leukemia treatment for pregnant women - e.g. hematology, neonatology, obstetrics clinics, intensive medicine and critical care units.

This volume brings together an unusually broad range of experts from reproductive medicine, medical ethics, and law to address the important ethical problems in maternal-fetal medicine which impact directly on clinical practice. The book is divided into parts by the stages of pregnancy, within which the authors cover four main areas: the balance of power in the doctor-patient relationship and the justifiable limits of paternalism and autonomy; the impact of new technologies and new diseases; disability and enhancement; and difference--to what extent should the clinician respect the tenets of other faiths in a multicultural society.

Congenital and perinatal infections remain a stubborn and major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants throughout the world. This concise, accessible account provides an essential guide to the diagnosis, management, and prevention of these infections. The first three chapters underline how and why infections during this critical period can be so devastating. The main section of the book focuses on individual infections, and emphasizes effective intervention based on the very latest knowledge and techniques. Another unique feature of this account is its recognition that the severity and types of these infections vary considerably from country to country, and from the developing world to the developed world. The international team of experts involved in this compilation have striven to make this an account that will transcend these boundaries and be suitable for all doctors and allied health professionals around the world charged with the care of the mother and newborn.

Cancer in pregnancy, although thankfully a relatively uncommon occurrence, presents physicians and their patients with a major dilemma. The urge to use the highest tolerable doses of chemotherapy, high doses of irradiation and surgery has to be weighed carefully against their risks to the unborn baby. This book is the very first to attempt to quantify these risks and provide physicians with a core of knowledge that will be very relevant to making sound clinical decisions in the face of sometimes conflicting interests. The volume evaluates the results of the Motherisk Program, which was set up specifically to address this problem, and reviews maternal and fetal outcomes from a sizeable database of the most common cases of cancer in pregnancy. In reviewing this program and the experience of others in this area, this volume sets out to create a clinically relevant tool for oncologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, perinatologists and neonatologists.

This book uses global household data to examine the prevalence, trends and geographic variation of female genital mutilation (FGM) around the world. It also addresses the underlying legal and policy aspects as well as explores the medical consequences, both immediate and long term, for those undergoing the practice. The book analyses the position of victims of this gender-based violence both from the medical and legal perspective and adopts a largely practical approach to the study of the practices, offering a fresh thinking into one of the challenges in global health and the law. In addition, it offers some insights into how health professionals can approach this category of victims and how legal practitioners can obtain a good legal result for their clients before domestic and international forums. The book addresses fundamental issues such as state liability and defences in enforcement proceedings for actions or omission of state or non-state actors, and due diligence standard in international human rights law, the main gateways available for obtaining relief for the victims of FGM. This book goes beyond the traditional debate between zero tolerance and those who wish to see the practice medicalised and tolerated and favours an advocacy programme standing firmly in favour of the right of FGM victims. This book offers a unique perspective likely to assist victims and their representatives to secure a remedy against perpetrators and the state. As such this book will be of interest to medical professionals, national and international lawyers, academics and policymakers in the field of public health.

This book offers a timely and detailed exploration and analysis of key contemporary issues and challenges in child sexual abuse, which holds great relevance for scholarly, legal, policy, professional and clinical audiences worldwide. The book draws together the best current evidence about the nature, aetiology, contexts, and sequelae of child sexual abuse. It explores the optimal definition of child sexual abuse, considers sexual abuse in history, and explores new theoretical understandings of children's rights and other key theories including public health and the Capabilities Approach, and their relevance to child sexual abuse prevention and responses. It examines a selection of the most pressing legal, theoretical, policy and practical challenges in child sexual abuse in the modern world, in developed and developing economies, including institutional child sexual abuse, female genital cutting, child marriage, the use of technology for sexual abuse, and the ethical responsibility and legal liability of major state and religious organisations, and individuals. It examines recent landmark legal and policy developments in all of these areas, drawing in particular on extensive developments from Australia in the wake of its Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It also considers the best evidence about promising strategies and future promising directions in enhancing effective prevention, intervention and responses to child sexual abuse.

The fourth edition of this popular resource features step-by-step skill instruction and practice-focused exercises covering maternal and fetal evaluation and immediate newborn care. Developed by a distinguished editorial board, the Perinatal Continuing Education Program (PCEP) is a comprehensive, self-paced education program in 4 volumes. This book features 8 units covering information and skills for obstetric evaluation and neonatal resuscitation (consistent with AAP guidelines) as well as units to provide the necessary information for initial stabilization of a newborn. The neonatal resuscitation unit has been updated to reflect the new NRP (R), 8th Edition, guidelines. TOPICS INCLUDE Is the Mother Sick? Is the Fetus Sick? Fetal Age, Growth, and Maturity Fetal Well-being Is the Baby Sick? Recognizing and Preventing Problems in the Newborns Pulse Oximetry Resuscitating the Newborn Gestational Age- and Size-Associated Risk Factors Thermal Environment Hypoglycemia Blood Glucose Screenings And more...

Pregnancy and the Pharmaceutical Industry: The Movement towards Evidence-Based Care for Pregnant Women explores the issues surrounding the decision to undertake clinical trials with pregnant women. There is currently a lack of data on the safety and effectiveness of medications used during pregnancy as it is impossible to extrapolate that information from drug studies on men and non-pregnant women. As a majority of pregnant women confront a medical condition during their pregnancy, from simple pain, to ongoing or new medical issues, this book quantifies the current absence of pregnant women in drug studies and identifies ethical issues, barriers, litigation fears and opportunities. Those in the pharmaceutical industry, IRB members who approve or deny drug study plans, doctors, nurses and midwives working in obstetrics or involved in conducting studies at their institutions will find this book an essential resource.

Updated by a team of internationally renowned experts, this book gives a thorough overview of fetal pathophysiology and an evidence base for in utero: both medical (non-invasive) and surgical treatments. Many topics are expanded to cover recent advances, including: stem cell transplantation; tissue scaffolding; minimally invasive approaches to 'open fetal surgery'; the etiology, prevention and treatment of preterm birth and PROM; the genetic etiologies of fetal disease; and gene therapy. In addition, there are in-depth discussions as to the role of open fetal myelomeningocele repair and several fetoscopic approaches to therapy. The international editors have added important new chapters on reducing stillbirth and prenatal counselling. This book is an invaluable reference guide to the latest fetal therapy options, and an essential, in-depth study book for maternal-fetal and neonatology specialists.

Hypertension: from basic research to clinical practice" contains a unique collection of selected chapters written by experts and enthusiasts engaged in research and treatment of hypertension, a condition that affects around a billion people in the world. The chapters describe fundamental researches at cellular and molecular levels to the science, and art of treatment of the condition in clinical practice. The topics included ranges from pathophysiology of hypertension, through monitoring of hypertension, to the treatment of hypertension in different patient categories. It contains essential background information as well as cutting edge research, and state of the art treatment alternatives in this broad field. From the beginners, and research students to the expert clinicians, and established scientists, everybody has something to learn from this book.

This book discusses 'how' to respectfully and responsibly include pregnant women in clinical research. In sharp contrast, the existing literature predominantly focuses on the reasons 'why' the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical research is necessary - viz., to develop effective treatments for women during pregnancy, to promote fetal safety, to reduce harm to women and fetuses from suboptimal care, and to allow access to the benefits of research participation. This book supports the shift to a new default position, whereby pregnant women are included in clinical research unless researchers argue convincingly for their exclusion. This shift raises many as yet unexplored ethical and policy questions about existing barriers to the equitable inclusion of pregnant women in research. This book is original in three key ways. First, it presents an unparalleled depth of analysis of the ethics of research with pregnant women, bringing together many of the key authors in this field as well as experts in research ethics and in vulnerability who have not previously applied their work to pregnant women. Second, it includes innovative theoretical work in ethics and disease specific case studies that highlight the current complexity and future challenges of research involving pregnant women. Third, the book brings together authors who argue both for and against including more pregnant women in formal clinical trials.

This comprehensive reference uses an ecological perspective to sort out the complex mix of biological, psychological, social, and other factors influencing adolescent health as well as shaping professional responses to the needs of adolescents. Describing critical concerns at the global level and innovative strategies from selected countries, the book urges readers to develop and support practices and policies to enhance optimal youth development. Expert coverage centers on key areas: the global state of adolescent health and development, adolescent health issues and public health answers, making health systems more responsive to youth, and improving school health services. And bedrock themes such as social determinants of health, young people's right to health care, and health and gender disparities are discussed throughout these chapters. Included among the topics: * The epidemiology of adolescent health * Adolescent sexual health and sexuality education * Restorative justice and the mental wellbeing of adolescents * Critical issues in adolescent nutrition: needs and recommendations * Towards an adolescent competent workforce * Pairing children with health services: the changing role of school health services in the 21st century The International Handbook on Adolescent Health and Development is essential to medical schools, public schools, and college libraries; teaching faculty; graduate and post-graduate students in public health, medicine, social work, other behavioral sciences and health disciplines (e.g., nursing, allied heath); as well as practitioners interested in better orienting their services to the health needs of adolescents.

Obstetrical emergencies can be among the most stressful events an emergency physician will face in their entire career. The purpose of this book is to provide an evidence-based, practical approach to the wide spectrum of obstetric complications an emergency physician must be prepared to manage throughout all trimesters pregnancy as well as postpartum, including complications of assisted reproductive technology, bleeding, precipitous delivery and preterm labor. Clinical pearls and pitfalls are highlighted throughout. The approach to the pregnant patient with trauma, non-pregnancy-related abdominal pain, or in cardiac arrest is discussed. Updates in the classification and management of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are presented. Recent controversies surrounding the use of anti-emetics for first trimester nausea and vomiting and the use of a beta-hCG discriminatory zone for the evaluation of pregnancy of unknown location are also addressed. Obstetrical support services vary widely between different facilities, and Emergency Department Management of Obstetric Complications is written for emergency clinicians in all practice settings. This book provides useful information for daily practice as well as preparation for rarely encountered and potentially life-threatening events.

This compact resource presents current data on health literacy as it affects child health outcomes, with a sharp focus on improving communication between healthcare providers and pediatric patients and their families. A frequently overlooked social determinant of health in children, health literacy is shown as a critical skill for patients and families and a key aspect of patient engagement. The authors' evidence-based survey pinpoints common problems in healthcare providers' verbal and written communication with pediatric patients, their parents, and/or caregivers. Readers will learn about practical health literacy strategies for addressing and preventing miscommunication at the individual and systems levels. These improvements are linked to immediate results (e.g., greater compliance, fewer medication errors) as well as improved long-term child health outcomes, including reduced health disparities and enhanced quality of life into adulthood. This transformative guide: Defines optimum health communication as necessary for working with all patients Identifies common barriers to clear health communication Traces the relationship between health literacy and child health outcomes, from the prenatal period and into young adulthood Offers guidelines for creating effective patient education materials and a safe, health literacy oriented patient-centered environment Integrates health literacy into health systems' quality improvement plans Health Literacy and Child Health Outcomes informs students in MPH programs as well as public health scientists and scholars, and can also serve as an introductory text for students in public health ethics or a general applied ethics course. Public health professionals in diverse contexts such as local health departments and nonprofit organizations will appreciate its robust approach to ethical practice, professional development, and systems improvement. This will be a helpful guide for introducing health communication topics in medical education and allied health. Lastly, clinicians taking care of pediatric patients will find concise information and practical advice to apply in the clinical setting.

This comprehensive, case-based title takes a practical approach to treating the pregnant patient by illustrating common and less common issues that arise during pregnancy. Outlining how difficult it often is to discern normal changes from pathological changes in the pregnant patient, Medical Problems During Pregnancy addresses not only this core dilemma but also a full array of specific, challenging issues to consider when pregnant patients present with conditions like epilepsy, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias and renal disease - disorders requiring medication despite some risks. Although standard best practices generally determine medication use, the practicality of medication at various stages of pregnancy is highly variable. Medical Problems During Pregnancy outlines key points to consider when prescribing medication and additionally offers a range of practical suggestions that can greatly improve the physician-patient interaction. A unique and invaluable addition to the literature, Medical Problems During Pregnancy will be of great interest to practicing obstetricians, primary care clinicians, family practice physicians, nurse practitioners, and other allied health professionals.

In this definitive new text, the major medicines, devices and vaccines used by women worldwide are brought together for the first time in a single volume. Written and edited by international experts with an evidence-based approach, the book offers a comprehensive summary of all the key areas of women’s medicines. In the first part, issues relating to female drug exposure and considerations for prescribing for subgroups of women - for example during pregnancy and lactation - are presented in the context of contemporary clinical practice. In the second part, specific groups of pharmaceutical products are reviewed, including oral contraceptives, emergency contraception, treatment of chronic pelvic pain, hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonates, herbal medicines for women, contraceptive devices and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines.  Every chapter reviews and summarises the efficacy and safety of each group of products and concludes with a useful set of clinical take home messages. In the third part, broader perspectives are presented - from a primary care overview of prescribing for women, through to regulatory, political and religious aspects, including issues with women’s medicines in developing countries. The final two chapters focus on risk communication and conclude that women themselves should be placed at the centre of all discussions about their medicines. The book is aimed at prescribers, other healthcare professionals and students in the field of women’s health throughout the world. It is an extremely valuable resource for all in clinical practice, for students of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and related sciences, and also for those in medicines regulation, pharmacovigilance and the pharmaceutical industry.

This book offers an in-depth examination of labor pain and analgesia with the aim of promoting natural childbirth without pain. All aspects of the subject are covered, including the latest techniques of delivering labor analgesia. Importantly, emphasis is placed on a holistic approach, detailed attention being paid to the humanization of childbirth and behavioral aspects in addition to evidence-based medicine. Potential future developments are also addressed, with discussion of opportunities that have yet to be realized. In order to ensure that the text is easily readable for trainees as well as established practitioners, chapters have been restricted to a manageable length and information is presented clearly and succinctly. Step-by-step tutorials and boxes highlighting practical points are used to clarify technical aspects. The authors include both well-established experts and young emerging professionals from various European countries, ensuring an intercultural perspective.

The rates are on the decline worldwide. But adolescent pregnancies still occur, placing millions of girls each year at risk for medical complications and social isolation and their babies for severe health problems-especially when prenatal care is inadequate or nonexistent. But as the opportunity for young women and girls increases around the world, adolescent pregnancy will continue to decline. Featuring reports from countries across the developed and developing worlds, the International Handbook of Adolescent Pregnancy analyzes the scope of the problem and the diversity of social and professional responses. Its biological/ecological perspective identifies factors influencing childhood pregnancy, as well as outcomes, challenges and needs of very young mothers as they differ across nations and regions. Salient comparisons are made as cultural contexts and community support vary widely and attention is paid to issues such as child marriage, LGBT concerns and the impact of religion and politics on health care, particularly access to contraception, abortion and other services. This global coverage heightens the understanding of readers involved in care, education and prevention programs and otherwise concerned with the psychosocial development, reproductive health and general well-being of girls. Included in the Handbook: Biological influences of adolescent pregnancy. Adolescent maternal health and childbearing. Adolescent pregnancy and mental health. International perspectives on adolescent fathers. Adolescent pregnancy as a feminist issue. Adolescent pregnancy as a social problem. Plus viewpoints from more than thirty countries. As a unique source of up-to-date findings and clear-headed analysis, the International Handbook of Adolescent Pregnancy is a go-to reference for practitioners and researchers in maternal and child health, pediatrics, adolescent medicine and global health.

The HIV pandemic continues to levy a heavy burden on the human race world-wide. The estimated number of people who became newly infected with HIV in 2009 was 2.6 million; most of these individuals live in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by India and Southeast Asia. An estimated 370,000 new cases of pediatric infections occurred globally in 2009 (or more than 1,000 new infections every day), practically all of them through mother-to-child transmission. Up to 40% of all new infant HIV infections occur during breastfeeding. While breastfeeding by HIV-infected mothers is not recommended in the U.S. and other resource-rich settings where safe replacement feeding is easily available, the situation is different in many resource-limited settings, where replacement feeding is not safe or available and carries a high risk of infections (diarrhea, pneumonia) and infant malnutrition. Mothers in such settings are faced with a difficult dilemma: to breastfeed their infants in order to provide their infants with its many benefits (nutritional, immunologic, cognitive), but to also risk transmitting HIV. These challenges have prompted an intensive search for new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies in order to prevent infants from acquiring HIV infection through breastfeeding. In this book, expert HIV researchers critically review every aspect of this highly evolving and topical subject. The opening chapters deal with the epidemiology, global magnitude and biologic mechanisms of HIV-1 transmission from mother to child through breastfeeding and include considerations of the virus (quantity, compartments, characteristics) and the host (genetic, immunity-innate, cellular, humoral). The effects of breastfeeding on the HIV-infected mother's health and nutritional status, and the social and cultural issues associated with the practice of breastfeeding are also discussed. The next few chapters provide cutting-edge reviews of the latest approaches to prevention of HIV transmission to the infant through breastfeeding, including antiretroviral strategies, nutritional and immune-based approaches, and treatment of expressed breast milk. The remaining chapters provide a fascinating review of the many iterations this subject has received, as reflected in the several different sets of guidelines for infant feeding by HIV-infected mothers issued by the World Health Organization, and a debate by leading scientists on whether HIV-infected mothers should breastfeed their infants-in resource-limited and in resource-rich settings. A comprehensive overview of the current state of implementing the new evidence for prevention of breastfeeding transmission of HIV all over the world is also presented. Essential reading for the many disciplines of scientists and clinicians working on HIV/AIDS and other retroviruses, pediatricians, obstetricians/gynecologists, as well as all health-care professionals interested in expanding their understanding on the subject.