Wasting during pregnancy increases the risk of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission.

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether wasting during pregnancy, as measured by weight loss and low weight gain, is associated with increased mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1.

METHODS

This was a cohort study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, among 957 HIV-1-infected pregnant women. Weight was measured at the first prenatal visit and every month thereafter until delivery. Weight loss was defined as a weekly rate of weight gain </=0 and low weight gain as a weekly rate >0 and </=166 g/wk. The incidences of presumptive intrauterine transmission (HIV status at birth) and presumptive intrapartum and early breast-feeding transmission (HIV status at 6 weeks) were examined in relation to baseline anthropometric characteristics and weight change during pregnancy using 2xn tables and multivariable binomial regression.

RESULTS

Compared with women who gained >/=167 g/wk, weight loss during pregnancy was related to higher risk of intrauterine MTCT (adjusted relative risk [RR] = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.23-4.36, P = 0.009), HIV positive at birth or fetal death (RR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.40-3.24, P = 0.0004), and HIV positive at birth or early neonatal death (RR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.26-3.07, P = 0.003). The rate of weight gain during the 3rd trimester was inversely related to the risk of intrapartum/early breast-feeding transmission (adjusted P value, test for trend = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Weight loss during pregnancy increases the risk of early MTCT. Identifying causes of wasting during pregnancy may provide clues for new strategies to prevent MTCT.