Screening Recommendations

Help Prevent Perinatal Transmission

Screening leads to access to treatment and care that can prevent perinatal transmission. Preconception (before pregnancy) and prenatal care are important opportunities for addressing conditions that can have long-term health impacts.

Recommended for All Women During Pregnancy

CDC recommends that all pregnant women get tested for HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis during each pregnancy. Screening is necessary to access medical services for HCV infection and treatment to prevent transmission of HIV, HBV, and syphilis to the infant. However, early screening opportunities are often missed, and women who receive late or no prenatal care are less likely to be screened and treated for HIV, HBV, and syphilis.1,2

Current Screening Statistics
A pregnant woman visits with her health care provider
  • Approximately 75%–80% of pregnant women are screened for HIV infection3,4
  • Approximately 84%–88% of pregnant women are screened for HBV infection5
  • Approximately 85% of commercially insured pregnant women are screened for syphilis4
  • Approximately 41% of pregnant women are screened for HCV infection6*
References
  1. Koumans EHA, Rosen J, van Dyke MK, et al. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of infections during pregnancy: implementation of recommended interventions, United States, 2003-2004. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;206(2):158.
  2. Momplaisir FM, Brady KA, Fekete, et al. Time of HIV diagnosis and engagement in prenatal care impact virologic outcomes of pregnant women with HIV. PLoS One 2015;10(7):1-12.
  3. Fitz Harris LF, Taylor AW, Zhang F, et al. Factors associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus screening of women during pregnancy, labor and delivery, United States, 2005-2006. Matern Child Health J 2014;18(3):648–56.
  4. Fanfair RN, Tao G, Owusu-Edusei K, et al. Suboptimal prenatal syphilis testing among commercially insured women in the United States, 2013. Sex Transm Dis 2017; 44(4):219–221.
  5. Kolasa M, Tsai Y, Xu J, Fenlon N, Schillie S. Hepatitis B surface antigen testing among pregnant women, United States 2014. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2016; 36(7):e175-e180.
  6. Kaufman, et al. Hepatitis C Virus Testing During Pregnancy After Universal Screening Recommendations. Obstet Gynecol. 2022.  doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004822
* percentage reflects testing approximately one year after publication of the 2020 recommendation that all pregnant women be screened for hepatitis C during each pregnancy
Page last reviewed: August 11, 2022