DOI 10.1007/s10995-006-0131-x BRIEF REPORT

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a condition that increasingly affects women, especially women of childbear-ing age. Early in the HIV epidemic, HIV infection and AIDS were diagnosed in relatively few women in the United States. Today, the HIV/AIDS epidemic represents a growing and persistent health threat to women, especially young women and women of color. In 2001 and 2002, HIV infection was the leading cause of death for African American women aged 25–34 years and was among the four leading causes of death for African American women aged 20–24 and 35–44 years, as well as Hispanic women aged 35–44 years [1, 2]. Although HIV is increasing among women, the incidence in children from perinatal transmission is decreasing. With recommendations for routine screening for HIV during preg-nancy and the availability of effective interventions to dra-matically reduce the risk of perinatal transmission, the num-ber of annual perinatally acquired AIDS cases from 1985– 1994 has declined approximately 95 % [3], representing one of the most striking success stories in the 25-year effort to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in the United States. HIV infection can be transmitted from mother to child in utero, during labor and delivery and through breastfeeding. Invited brief report for a special supplement on preconception care t