Out of the 20,000 AIDS cases reported in Taiwan, around 90 percent of patients are male. Even though there is a significant gap in terms of infection ratio between the two genders, social groups are calling for more resources to further educate women about this deadly virus, because most of them use protection to prevent pregnancy, and not to defend themselves against AIDS or other diseases.

According to the United Nation's statistics, women account for 47 percent of people living with AIDS. In the USA, women account for 25 percent of AIDS cases. Although the figure is slightly over 10 percent in Taiwan, gynecologists believe female suffers in Taiwan are under tremendous stress because of the stigma of AIDS.

So far, the Center for Disease Control offers free AIDS virus screening for pregnant women.

Among the 190,000 women who were pregnant last year, three of them have been found to be HIV positive.

Scholars worry that women of minority groups and teenagers are the high-risk groups that are often ignored.

The Center for Disease Control stresses that Taiwan's AIDS patients are mostly male homosexuals and bisexuals, an apparent difference from that of other countries.

The health authority will need more discussion on whether or not to adjust its policy in preventing the spread of the disease among women of minority groups.