Pregnancy in a cohort of long-term partners of human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive hemophiliacs.
Since 1981, there have been 17 pregnancies in 12 long-term female sexual partners of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-seropositive hemophilic men at the New England Hemophilia Center. Eleven of 12 women were seronegative for HIV antibody and one was seropositive. Six of the women followed a specific antibody testing schedule for nine pregnancies. This involved antibody testing at specific points before, during, and after pregnancy. All of the seronegative women had at least one negative antibody test at the conclusion of each pregnancy. Fourteen of 16 pregnancies in the seronegative women resulted in live-born infants. The children now range in age from 7 months to 7 years and 8 months, and have no significant medical problems. The woman found to be seropositive at 8 weeks' gestation of her first pregnancy subsequently delivered an infected infant. In this small group, 11 of 12 women at risk for HIV transmission were able to become pregnant and remain seronegative for HIV antibody. Antibody testing during pregnancy gave the women information on which to base reproductive choices.
Department of Medicine, Medical Center of Central Massachusetts-Memorial, Worcester.
E M
EM
Kraus
D B
DB
Brettler
A D
AD
Forsberg
J L
JL
Sullivan
D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006467:Hemophilia A; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners