Canadian doctors endorse universal HIV-testing for pregnant women.The Canadian Medical Association The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), with more than 65,000 members, is the largest association of doctors in Canada and works to represent their interests nationally. It formed in 1867, three months after Confederation. endorsed routine HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. testing of pregnant women in 2002 and passed a resolution calling on provincial governments and health authorities to adopt a universal HIV screening policy for pregnant women, with an opt-out provision for those who do not want to be tested. The aim is that HIV testing of pregnant women will become as routine as tests for hepatitis, syphilis and gonorrhoea. At present, Canada does not have national or provincial guidelines for testing pregnant women, and the few HIV tests that are carried out are done at the discretion of the physician. It is estimated that 2-4% of babies in Canada are born with HIV. (1) (1.) MDs call for HIV testing of all pregnant women. CDC See Control Data, century date change and Back Orifice. CDC - Control Data Corporation HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update. On: <genderaids@healthdev.net>, 22 August 2002. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion