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Anemia, hypertension risks increased in pregnant HIV-infected women
Last Updated: 2006-06-28 9:33:16 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - HIV-positive women are much more likely to have anemia and hypertension during pregnancy, and to deliver infants with lower birth weight and retarded growth, than HIV-negative women, according to a study conducted in South Africa.
In the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing, the study team says, to their knowledge, the "unique" finding of an increase in prevalence of anemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension in HIV-positive pregnant women has not been reported elsewhere in the literature.
Dr. Candice Bodkin and two colleagues from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa reviewed the maternal and neonatal outcomes of 212 HIV-positive and 101 matched HIV-negative women.
Compared with the HIV-negative women, the HIV-positive group had significantly lower hemoglobin levels (10.85 vs 11.48 g/dL), weighed significantly less (72.07 vs 76.69 kg) and were significantly more likely to present with abnormal vaginal discharge (33% vs 25%).
They also made significantly fewer antenatal clinic visits; 17% received no antenatal care.
The difference in the prevalence of pregnancy-induced hypertension between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women (17% vs 10%) "approached significance," according to the team, as did the difference in the prevalence of syphilis infection (6% vs 1%), and urinary tract infection (16% vs 8%).
Neonatal outcomes also differed between the two groups. HIV-positive women were significantly more likely than HIV-negative women to have intrauterine growth retardation (5% vs 0%), to deliver earlier (38 weeks vs 38.5 weeks) and to deliver an infant of low birth weight (2970 vs 3138 grams).
More than one quarter of pregnant women in South Africa are HIV-positive, Dr. Bodkin and colleagues point out. They say the high rate of HIV- and AIDS-related maternal morbidity and mortality in South Africa has been attributed to the lack of guidelines for midwives' antenatal assessment and management of HIV-positive pregnant women.
"This study," write the researchers, "identifies maternal and neonatal outcomes related to HIV infection in pregnancy and provides evidence required to inform the development of clinical practice guidelines."
J Clin Nursing 2006;15:735-741.
Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters Limited content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters Limited. Reuters Limited shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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