Wasting during pregnancy increases the risk of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission.
OBJECTIVE
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.
Villamor
Eduardo
E
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. evillamo@hsph.harvard.edu
Saathoff
Elmar
E
Msamanga
Gernard
G
O'Brien
Megan E
ME
Manji
Karim
K
Fawzi
Wafaie W
WW
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D019247:HIV Wasting Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology