Abstract

Australia is one of the few developed countries without routine antenatal HIV screening, despite having the resources to undertake such a screening program and the availability of antiretroviral therapy.

National policy recommends that only women with identified risk factors should be offered testing; however, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends that all pregnant women be offered HIV testing as part of their antenatal care.

Knowledge of a woman’s HIV status during pregnancy allows interventions to improve her health and reduce the risk of transmission of HIV to her child.

A universal antenatal HIV screening program meets many of the Wilson and Jungner criteria for population-based screening programs.

This should be considered in the current review of Australia’s HIV testing policy.