Final answer:
HIV can be passed from mother to child during birth, which includes the period of late pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. Utilizing antiretroviral treatments and other preventive measures can dramatically lower HIV transmission rates.
Step-by-step explanation:
True: HIV can indeed be passed from mother to child during birth. This type of HIV transmission is known as vertical transmission and happens during pregnancy, childbirth, or through breastfeeding if the mother is infected with HIV. Without treatment, the rate of mother-to-child transmission via breast milk is about 15%. However, using antiretroviral medications during pregnancy and for the infant after birth, opting for cesarean delivery, and substituting breastfeeding with bottle-feeding can significantly reduce the transmission rates to approximately 1%.