Testing Women for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection : Who, When, and How?

Obstetrician-gynecologists provide comprehensive primary and preventive care for women and are ideally suited to provide human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for their patients. This paper provides a summary and rationale for the current recommendations for HIV testing among women in the United States emphasizing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. A summary and rationale for current recommendations for HIV testing among women in the United States emphasizing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is presented. Who should receive HIV testing when and how often testing should be conducted and how testing should be offered are discussed. These recommendations are described separately for general populations (including nonpregnant women) and for pregnant women and their infants.