I t's believed that the added risk is a consequence of nicotine's effects on blood vessels.
T hat's the good news.
Finally, the cost of such an intensive treatment regimen makes it prohibitive for developing countries, which is precisely where effective prevention interventions are needed most. A study in South Africa is now underway to test whether the same reduction in transmission can be achieved using short courses of treatment, such as only during labour and delivery. Of course, this intervention is dependent on the women being aware of her HIV status during her pregnancy.