Ewing AC, et al. - In women unexposed to antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy, researchers studied possible risk factors for perinatal (intrauterine and intrapartum) mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT). In the Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals and Nutrition study (2004-2010) in Lilongwe, Malawi, factors were compared according to perinatal MTCT outcome among 2,275 ART-naïve (until the onset of labor) HIV-infected women; ultimately there were 119 (115 intrauterine, 4 intrapartum) cases of perinatal MTCT. An association was found between food shortage, sexually transmitted infection in the past year, and histories of herpes zoster and tuberculosis with higher odds of perinatal MTCT. Findings from the present study support that the most important factor in the prevention of perinatal MTCT is reduction of maternal HIV viral load. Researchers favor efforts to focus on food shortage, and prevention of STD and TB while improving pregnancy ART coverage.