A woman, told by her doctor she has AIDS, breast-feeds her newly born - who gets HIV as result.

In countries where breast feeding is the overwhelming norm this may well be virtually incomprehensible to most mothers, certainly if they do not have at least the equivalent of a western high school education.  Even if they do, they might not have the ability to feed their child by any other means.

The self-protecting delusion for lawmakers and health givers alike would be that by passing such a law they have actually done anything useful or humane.  It is, in effect, a status crime: by virtue of her status as HIV positive and a mother with a new-born without adequate resources, she is a criminal.  Either let the child get HIV, let it starve or immediately give it up, if there are even provisions for legally surrendering a new-born in that society.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."