What if …
Q.68 What if CD4 counts are not available, and it is unclear if a mother is eligible for ART?
If a CD4 count for a mother is not available, then health workers should follow national recommendations for assessment for eligibility for ART, and ARV or NVP. Clinical criteria are available to guide initiation of ART in the absence of CD4 testing (see WHO guidelines on Antiretroviral drugs for treating pregnant women and preventing HIV infections in infants: recommendations for a public health approach, 2010 version). Lack of CD4 testing should not prevent initiation of ARVs either for lifelong treatment or as prophylaxis for PMTCT.