Perhaps it is my naïveté, but I was rather shocked (and pleased) by Kourtis’ (Lee, Abrams, Jamieson, and Bulterys) research in mother to child transmissions. As a disease with such a high transmitting rate through blood (drug use, intercourse, blood transfusion, etc.) I was very surprised to learn that mother to child transmission, although present and therefore a problem, was not 100%. Moreover, medication was extremely successful in help reducing the number of mother to child transmissions.
It shocked me that for the most part, children were able to stay HIV-free antenatal. Only at birth or through breastfeeding was it likely for the HIV to be transmitted. This was pretty incredible to me, that although the child was living inside its mother sharing many of the same nutrients, it was able to separate itself enough to protect itself from HIV.
As a research experiment, Kourtis’ work was very well executed and explained. As researchers began to see a trend in mother to child transmission and breastfeeding, Kourtis quickly separated the two: breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding to ensure far results. In addition, Kourtis, seeing the development in the child as a major variable, broke down the timing in which medication was taken, antepartum to postpartum. Differentiating these two variables in the beginning was plainly explained and critical in succeeding in positive data.
Kourtis went on to describe his research in great detail. It was alarming how successful all drugs seemed to have (varying from drug to drug). Some drugs were almost 80% successful in preventing mother to child transmission. In addition, Kourtis’ conclusion was sensible and thought provoking, explaining additional research needed to be done along side his findings.
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