This article reviews current understanding of the management of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 infection in the context of developed-country settings. The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy has facilitated the virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection in developed countries, reducing transmission rates to approximately 1–2%. This review describes the epidemiology of HIV infection among women of child-bearing age and the risk factors, timing and mechanisms of mother-to-child transmission, followed by a discussion of the identification of pregnant HIV-infected women and their therapeutic and obstetric management.