Question

In a 1994 study, 164 pregnant, HIV-positive women were randomly assigned to receive the drug AZT during pregnancy, and 160 such women were randomly assigned to a control group that received a placebo. It turned out that 40 of the mothers in the control group gave birth to babies who were HIV-positive, compared to only 13 in the AZT group. Is this an ob:

A. Yes
B. No

Answer 1

The 1994 study provides evidence that the use of AZT during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission when compared to a placebo group. AZT's role in inhibiting HIV reverse transcriptase is crucial in preventing the virus's replication within host cells, a key component of effective Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).

Step-by-step explanation:

Effectiveness of AZT in Reducing Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission

The study in question shows a significant reduction in the transmission of HIV from mother to child when the drug AZT is used during pregnancy. With only 13 babies born HIV-positive to the AZT group versus 40 in the placebo group, the effectiveness of AZT is evident. Vertical transmission of HIV, which includes mother-to-child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, presents a significant risk of HIV infection in children if untreated. AZT's method of action involves inhibiting the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme, thereby preventing the virus from replicating within the host cells.

Treatments like AZT, as part of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), are essential in reducing the rates of vertical transmission, which without intervention, has around a 15% transmission rate through breastfeeding. Alongside other preventive measures such as cesarean delivery and avoiding breastfeeding, the use of antiretroviral medications such as AZT plays a crucial role in managing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.