Kiswaga, L.2024-05-082024-05-082016Kiswaga, L., 2016. Pregnancy outcome among HIV positive mothers who delivered at ilala and Kinondoni reginal hospitals from June 2015 to March 2016. HKMUhttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1376A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Master’s Degree of Medicine in obstetrics and gynecology, of Hubert Kariuki Memorial UniversityHuman immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease spectrum of the human immune system caused by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)'. The term HIV/AIDS represents the entire range of the infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus^. Two types of HIV have been isolated: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the virus that also termed as HTLV-III. It is more virulent, more infective^ and is the cause of the majority of HIV infections globally. The lower infectivity of HIV-2 compared to HIV-1 implies that fewer of those exposed to HIV-2 will be infected per exposure. Because of its relatively poor capacity for transmission, HIV-2 is largely confined to West Africa''. \ Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HlV-2) emerged following cross-species transmission of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from sooty mangabeys to humans several decades ago. The epidemic groups of HIV-2 have been established in the human population for at least 50 years. However, it is likely that new divergent SIVs can infect humans and lead to new outbreaks^ During the initial infection, a person may experience a brief period of influenza-like illness. This is typically followed by a prolonged period without symptoms. As the illness progresses, it interferes more and more with the immune system, making the person much more likely to get infections, including opportunistic infections and tumors that do not usually affect people who have working immune systems. The late symptoms of the infection are referred to as AIDS. HIV is transmitted primarily via unprotected sexual intercourse (including anal and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, hypodermic needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy delivery, or breastfeeding. Some bodily fluids, such as saliva and tears, do not transmit HIV^ The most common way women become infected is through unprotected (without a condom) heterosexual intercourse with infected partners^. An infected woman can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy; in utero, during labour, delivery or breastfeeding®. After HIV enters the blood stream, the body begins to produce disease fighting antibodies Even with no treatment, it can take ten, or more years for an HIV-positive person to develop^.enPregnancyIlala,KinondoniHIV/AIDSThesis