Adding Nevirapine Halves Newborn Transmission Rate

Findings recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that adding nevirapine to the standard zidovudine prophylactic regimen given to newborns of women diagnosed with HIV shortly before or during labor halves the risk of maternal-to-child transmission of HIV. Researchers found that the 2-drug zidovudine/nevirapine regimen was superior to zidovudine monotherapy and a 3-drug regimen of zidovudine/nelfinavir/lamivudine. The 2-drug regimen was also found to be less expensive and easier to administer than the 3-drug combination. The 2-drug regimen was adopted in the most recent update of the U.S. Perinatal Guidelines in September of 2011.

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