The education and discussion surrounding the strategies of preventing mother-to-child transmission of the HIV virus has traditionally focused on women of childbearing age. Meanwhile, the role that men play in preventing perinatal transmission is virtually ignored.

MAN UP: The Crisis of HIV/AIDS Among Florida’s Men is a “must read” report published by the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS. Part of a series, this report “focuses on sexually active men, who account for the majority of HIV/AIDS cases in Florida.” Why focus on men? According to Florida Fact Sheet, HIV/AIDS among Men (2008):

• Men’s behavior puts women at risk for HIV.[1]
• Heterosexual contact remains the dominant transmission mode of HIV for women.[2]
• A study of young black men who have sex with men found that 20% of the men reported having female sex partners.[3]
• In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases among men who have sex with men, which increases the risk for HIV infection.[4]

As providers move forward to expand routine HIV testing in all health care settings, men need to be aware of the impact that the HIV virus has on their infants and children. If HIV is undetected and untreated in pregnancy, 25-30% of the infants born to HIV infected women will be born infected or become infected during birth or breastfeeding. There is currently no cure for HIV. Knowing your HIV status is the first line of defense in preventing perinatal transmission. The message is clear and should be openly discussed with both men and women. Know your HIV status. Know your partners HIV status. Protect your baby. Men do play an important role in preventing perinatal HIV transmission. The time has come to eliminate the bias and change our approach to perinatal prevention education.

[1] UNSAID/WHO, AIDS Epidemic Update, December 2006.
[2] MMWR Weekly, 53(32): 731-734. 08/20/2004.
[3] MMWR Weekly, 53(32): 731-734. 08/20/2004.
[4] National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 53, No. 15.