In a laboring patient with HIV, what is the purpose of giving intravenous zidovudine?

In a laboring patient with HIV, what is the purpose of giving intravenous zidovudine?

• A. To treat maternal infection.
• B. To reduce perinatal transmission of HIV.
• C. To stimulate fetal lung maturity.
• D. To decrease maternal pain.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that giving intravenous zidovudine during labor is to lower the risk of passing HIV from mother to baby. Zidovudine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that decreases HIV replication in the maternal–fetal environment. When used in labor, it reduces the amount of virus the newborn is exposed to during delivery, thereby decreasing perinatal transmission of HIV. It’s not aimed at treating the mother’s infection specifically, it does not promote fetal lung maturity, and it isn’t used for pain relief.

The main idea is that giving intravenous zidovudine during labor is to lower the risk of passing HIV from mother to baby. Zidovudine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that decreases HIV replication in the maternal–fetal environment. When used in labor, it reduces the amount of virus the newborn is exposed to during delivery, thereby decreasing perinatal transmission of HIV. It’s not aimed at treating the mother’s infection specifically, it does not promote fetal lung maturity, and it isn’t used for pain relief.