By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter HealthDay WEDNESDAY, March 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A vaginal ring that emits the antiviral dapivirine has passed safety trials and could shield vulnerable women against HIV infection during pregnancy, a new trial shows. “We now have data on the ring’s safety during all stages of pregnancy,” said study leader Dr. Felix Mhlanga, a senior lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe Clinical Trials Research Centre. Based on that data, “we can now say with much greater confidence that the dapivirine ring is safe to use during pregnancy — safe for the mother and safe for her baby,” said Mhlanga in a news release from the Microbicide Trials Network. While anyone can become infected with HIV, Mhlanga and his team noted that pregnancy more than triples the odds of infection, compared to other time periods. Especially in countries where HIV is endemic, providing constant protection against HIV during a pregnancy could save the life of both a mother and her child. The new trial, called DELIVER, wanted to assess the safety …