In recent years, the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among women worldwide has been increasing. By the end of 2005, approximately 17.3 million women were living with HIV/AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This figure represents nearly half the 38.6 million adults living with HIV/AIDS. Women make up a smaller percentage of HIV/AIDS patients in developed nations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 956,666 Americans, including more than 182,822 females, were diagnosed with AIDS through 2005.

Most cases of HIV infection in women are the result of sexual contact with infected men, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Use of needles tainted with the virus during intravenous drug use is the second most common method of transmission among women.

Virtually all people with HIV will go on to develop AIDS. However, it can take a decade or more before HIV develops into full-blown AIDS. The rate of HIV infections that develop into full-blown AIDS among women in the United States has seemingly reached a plateau after rising steadily in recent years. This is largely a result of more effective therapies that keep the virus at bay. However, younger women are increasingly being diagnosed with HIV infection. Women age 24 and younger accounted for 15 percent of the female HIV/AIDS cases reported to the CDC from 2001 through 2004.

In addition, rates of HIV infection among women of color have risen. According to HHS:

• African-American and Hispanic/Latina women account for 81 percent of AIDS cases in women in the United States despite composing just one-fourth of the country’s female population.
  
  
• More African-American women between the ages of 25 and 44 die from HIV/AIDS than from any other cause of death.

In 2004, HIV infection was the fifth leading cause of death among all women aged 35 to 44 years, and the sixth leading cause of death among all women aged 25 to 34 years, according to the CDC. The only diseases causing more deaths in women were cancer and heart disease.

In addition, women can pass the HIV infection on to their babies during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding. Precautions can be taken to help an expectant mother reduce the likelihood of passing HIV to her child. Because of this, there has recently been a change in the requirement of routine prenatal HIV testing in many places.

Finally, HIV can infect older women who are sexually active as easily as it infects younger women. Some older women may be less educated about HIV and AIDS and ways to prevent infection. In addition, some physicians may be more reluctant to discuss the issue with older women, or more likely to mistake HIV-related symptoms for routine signs of aging. For these reasons, older women must be involved in seeking out preventive care.