Final answer:
The risk of HIV perinatal transmission has been reduced by providing antiretroviral medications to the mother and infant, opting for cesarean deliveries, and using bottle feeding instead of breastfeeding. Additional strategies include comprehensive sexual education, free condom distribution, and needle exchange programs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Multiple steps have been taken to reduce the risk of HIV perinatal transmission from an estimated 25% to around 2%. To achieve this reduction, antiretroviral medications are administered to the mother during pregnancy and to the infant after birth, drastically cutting the chances of mother-to-child transmission to about 1%. Another effective method has been the option of cesarean deliveries rather than vaginal births, which further reduces the risk during childbirth. Additionally substituting breastfeeding with bottle feeding, where feasible eliminates the risk of transmitting HIV through breast milk. Beyond these perinatal measures, widespread public health strategies have contributed to this reduction in transmission. Programs including sexual education, condom distribution, and needle exchange for IV drug users have played a significant role.
These initiatives are based on the understanding that preventing nonsexual transmission of HIV through harm-reduction strategies is critical. Public health policies, including the provision of comprehensive sex education and access to antiretroviral treatments not only reduce transmission but also improve survival rates and quality of life for those living with HIV.