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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.093526v1 97/7/1179    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Schuklenk, U. Articles by Kleinsmidt, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Schuklenk, U. Articles by Kleinsmidt, A. Related Collections Epidemiology Ethics Health Policy HIV/AIDS Pregnancy Women's Health

Udo Schuklenk, PhD and Anita Kleinsmidt, LLB, LLM

At the time of writing, Udo Schuklenk was with the Centre for Ethics in Public Policy and Corporate Governance, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland. Anita Kleinsmidt was with the Bioethics Division, Witwatersrand University Faculty of Health Sciences, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Udo Schuklenk, PhD, Department of Philosophy, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (e-mail: udo.schuklenk{at}gmail.com).

ABSTRACT

We analyzed the ethical and policy issues surrounding mandatory HIV testing of pregnant women in areas with high HIV prevalence rates. Through this analysis, we seek to demonstrate that a mandatory approach to testing and treatment has the potential to significantly reduce perinatal transmission of HIV and defend the view that mandatory testing is morally required if a number of conditions can be met.

If such programs are to be introduced, continuing medical care, including highly active antiretroviral therapy, must be provided and pregnant women must have reasonable alternatives to compulsory testing and treatment. We propose that a liberal regime entailing abortion rights up to the point of fetal viability would satisfy these requirements.

Pilot studies in the high-prevalence region of southern African countries should investigate the feasibility of this approach.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. K. Groves, M. W. Pierce, and S. Maman QUESTIONING MANDATORY HIV TESTING DURING PREGNANCY Am J Public Health, February 1, 2008; 98(2): 196 - 197. [Full Text] [PDF]