Revised Guidelines for HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral and Revised Recommendations for HIV Screening of Pregnant Women

This MMWR provides revised guidelines for HIV counseling, testing, and referral (CTR) and revised recommendations for HIV screening of pregnant women. It encourages the availability of anonymous and confidential HIV testing and informed, voluntary, and consented HIV testing; access to testing and effective provision of test results; and using a prevention counseling approach aimed at personal risk reduction for HIV-infected persons and persons at increased risk for HIV infection. It provides advise to voluntary HIV CTR providers and specific recommendations for CTR; emphasizes the importance of early knowledge of HIV status and making HIV testing more accessible and available; discusses the need for flexibility in implementing the guidelines based on HIV prevalence levels, client base, and available resources; recommends that CTR be targeted efficiently; and addresses ways to improve the quality and provision of HIV CTR. This MMWR recommends that HIV testing and screening be a routine part of prenatal care and that HIV testing and treatment are given at the time of labor and delivery for women who have not received prenatal testing and antiretroviral drugs. It recommends simplifying the testing process, making the consent process more flexible, and exploring and addressing the reasons for refusal of testing. Statistical information on the incidence of HIV and AIDS in the US is provided.