In 1995, the Public Health Service (PHS) published guidelines for zidovudine (ZDV) used to reduce perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. In 1995, PHS issued guidelines recommending universal counseling and voluntary HIV testing of all pregnant women and treatment for those infected.

Despite this progress, children were still being infected perinatally. CDC estimated that 280–370 infants are born with HIV infection each year in the United States (CDC, unpublished data, 2000). These continued infections underscored the need for improved strategies to ensure that all pregnant women are offered HIV testing and, if positive, treatment to reduce their transmission risk and to safeguard their health and the health of their infants.