Prevalence of skin disease in HIV-positive pregnant women.
BACKGROUND
The rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in women of reproductive age has increased dramatically in the last decade. The effects of pregnancy on the prevalence of cutaneous diseases in this group is unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence of cutaneous diseases in healthy pregnant women, HIV-positive pregnant women, and HIV-positive nonpregnant women.


METHODS
Fifty HIV-positive pregnant women and 52 HIV-positive nonpregnant women were compared with a control group of 50 HIV-negative pregnant women for the prevalence of cutaneous diseases.


RESULTS
The prevalence of cutaneous diseases was higher (65%) in the HIV-positive nonpregnant group than in the HIV-positive pregnant group (42%) or the control group (28%). Infectious diseases were more frequent in the HIV-positive nonpregnant group.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnancy does not seem to increase the prevalence of cutaneous diseases that occur during the course of HIV disease.
Alonso
Norma
N
Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936, USA.
Lugo-Somolinos
Aída
A
Torres-Paoli
Damaris
D
Sánchez
Jorge L
JL
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*