Statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are showing that a quarter of all new HIV/AIDS infections occur in women. Black and Hispanic women are more exposed to the virus that causes AIDS, which is the leading cause of death for black women between 25 and 34 years old, according to reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Statistics say that more than 126,000 U.S. women are living with AIDS or HIV. More than 70% of women living with HIV are infected through heterosexual contact.

Another problem is represented by the fact that more than one-fifth of Americans living with HIV are unaware of their infection. Most of these women are in relationships with men whose HIV status they do not know. They are not receiving appropriate care for their condition and can transmit the virus to others. A report released by the CDC found that in 2006, just 40.4% of adults in the U.S. between the ages of 18 to 64-years old were tested for HIV.

It is known that early diagnosis and treatment are key steps in controlling the AIDS epidemic. HIV-infected women who receive appropriate treatment and whose infection is detected early survive as long as HIV-infected men. Women are known to have shorter survival times than men after HIV diagnosis and it seems that the situation may be attributable to the fact that they are less likely than men to be diagnosed early.

According to current estimates, 34 percent of new infections occur in persons aged 30 to 39.