title: Influence of body mass index on pregnancy outcomes among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Zambian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the influence of body mass index (BMI) on pregnancy outcomes of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Zambian women and to assess the possible role of BMI on mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed data from a clinical trial on nevirapine administration for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. Demographic characteristics, medical information and pregnancy outcomes were used in this secondary analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1211 women were included in this analysis and 36% were HIV-infected. Among HIV-infected women, maternal parity and prior stillbirths increased with increasing BMI in univariate analysis. Mean birth weight rose as well at 28.3 g [95% confidence interval (CI)=14.0-42.6] of infant weight per BMI unit. Transmission of HIV from mother to child appeared inversely related to BMI when compared according to BMI quartile (P for trend=0.07). In the HIV-uninfected group, infant birth weight increased with increasing BMI, at 32.7 g (95% CI=23.5-41.9) of infant weight per BMI unit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Birth weight increased alongside BMI in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women. There is a suggestion that women with lower BMI have a greater risk of perinatal HIV transmission, even after adjustments for HIV viral load and CD4 count.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Yolan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Banda
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Benjamin H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Sten H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Vermund
authors.forename: Jeffrey S A
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Stringer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D050497:Stillbirth; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology