Human immunodeficiency virus education and screening of prenatal patients.

Prenatal HIV education and testing requires access to many resources and is demanding of time and personnel. Properly trained sympathetic on-site counselors are essential. Such personnel may combine this role with other tasks but should have the time necessary to commit to individualized HIV counseling. High-quality laboratory facilities should be available. Ready access to psychiatric professionals, social service supports, clergy, internal medicine, pediatric primary care, and infectious disease consultation or referrals needs to be available and integrated into all prenatal screening programs. Obstetrician/gynecologists at all levels should seek access to and support for these necessary though resource-intensive programs and work toward extension of such programs to all women of childbearing age.