European standards of prevention and care: Module on antenatal screening for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis
The global community has committed to eliminating vertical transmission of HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and syphilis as a public health priority. This global commitment encourages countries to provide the most effective, high-quality and person-centred care available to pregnant and breastfeeding people, aiming to ensure a generation born free of HIV, syphilis and HBV. Antenatal screening (ANS) programmes, including universal screening for transmissible infections, aim to ensure optimal parent and child health for all including population groups identified as vulnerable to vertical transmission in line with the overarching objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of leaving no one behind.
In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the number of births was 3.67 million in 2023. Data on the annual number of people living with HIV giving birth are not available at European level. However, data on vertical transmission of HIV and syphilis are available. In 2024, 196 newly diagnosed HIV infections in the EU/EEA were reported as resulting from vertical transmission. Of these, 75% (147 cases) were among migrants, defined as people whose country of origin was outside the reporting country.
In 2024, there were 140 reports of confirmed congenital syphilis in 28 reporting EU/EEA countries, corresponding to an overall EU/EEA notification rate of 4.7 per 100 000 live births. Of the 63 cases with available data, the maternal country of birth differed from the reporting country in 17 (27%) cases. From 2023 to 2024, there was nearly a doubling of congenital syphilis cases reported by EU/EEA countries. For hepatitis B, data on transmission were complete for 24% of the acute hepatitis B cases reported in 2023 in the EU/EEA countries, of which only 1% were due to vertical transmission. Data on transmission was complete for 9% of chronic hepatitis B cases. For the 1 421 newly diagnosed chronic cases with complete information, vertical transmission was the most common route of transmission (39%) but the majority (91%) were classified as being imported meaning vertical transmission occurred in countries of origin and not in the reporting country.
European Standards of prevention and care: Module on Antenatal Screening for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis
English (1.44 MB - PDF)What are standards of care for HIV?
The standards of care (SoC) for HIV define the expected, or desired, quality of prevention, treatment, and care forpeople at risk of HIV acquisition or living with HIV.
The standards are based on a scientific rationale, as well as the responsibilities of each stakeholder and ensure that people receive appropriate, high-quality prevention and care that aligns with the most up-to-date medical knowledge and ethical standards.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in partnership with the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) have developed standards of care in the areas of HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), antenatal screening, commencement of ART, and HIV and co-morbidities (add links to SoC modules). Each standard is based on the following structure:
1. Brief description of the rationale for the standard.
2. Quality statements describing best practice based on current guidelines, evidence, and expert opinion.
3. related measurable and auditable outcome indicators used to assess the quality and effectiveness of the services.
4. Numeric values for defined targets.
The standards are person-centred in their approach with a specific focus on being equitable, non-discriminatory, relevant, appropriate, and accessible for people at risk of or living with HIV.
