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In utero is within the uterus or womb before the onset of labour.

intrapartum refers to the last stages of during pregnancy when the baby is born. These are labour and delivery (or chold birth). Intrapartum can refer to both the baby and the mother. See: antepartum and postpartum.

HIV transmission is when the virus passes from one person to another. When this is from mother to baby it is called mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), perinatal or vertical transmission. Children who become HIV-positive in this way are called vertically infected children

gastrointestinal tract (or GI tract) is where we digest our food. It is a long tube that runs from the mouth to the anus. The gastrointestinal tract begins with the mouth and then becomes the oesophagus (food pipe), stomach, duodenum, small …

foetal membranes are the membranes surrounding the foetus.

foetoplacental circulation is the blood supply in the foetus and placenta.

chorioamnionitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the foetus (called the chorion and the amnion). Chorioamnionitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

The following websites include online interactive discussion boards. Sometimes these require you to choose a login and username (which does not need to be your own name). i-Base is not responsible for the content and format of these sites. Aidsmeds …

The UK CAB is a network for community HIV treatment advocates across the UK that was set up by i-Base in 2002. The CAB is now run by a Steering Group elected by the members who decide and run the …

uneven distribution – a term in statistics where most results fall to the left (positive skewness) or right (negative skewness) of the middle of the range.

undetectable – an amount smaller than a test can measure. For viral load tests, this means below 400 or, more commonly, below 50 copies/mL, depending on the make of test. In research laboratories, some very sensitive tests can measure down …

type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) – an illness that usually affect adults (previously called adult-onset diabetes), when glucose levels increase because the body does not produce enough insulin or does not respond well to insulin.

trimester – a 12 week period of a pregnancy. Different periods during pregnancy are commonly referred to as the first, second and third trimester.

triglycerides (TG) – a kind of lipid (blood fat) that is generated by the liver. Untreated HIV infection reduces triglicerides and treatment increases levels again. Some HIV drugs also increase triglycerides.

toxoplasmosis (toxo) – an opportunistic infection caused by a protozoa. The risk to develop toxo increases after CD4 counts fall below 100 cells/mm3. Toxo section of the training manual.

T-cell – a type of white blood cell (lymphocyte) that are part of the immune system and that mature in the thymus (T). CD4 cells are also called T-cells.

viral load test – a test that detects whether a virus is present (qualatitive) or that measures the amount of virus (quantitative). This is usually in a sample of blood, but a viral load test can also be used to …

virological failure – the term for when viral load levels never reach undetectable, or if they rebound to higher levels after previously being undetectable. See clinical failure.

virology – the study of viruses.

virus – an infectious organism that can only reproduce inside the cell of another plant or animal.