title: Voluntary pregnancy termination among women with HIV in the HAART era (2002-2008): a case series from a national study.
abstract: There is limited information about the determinants of voluntary pregnancy termination (VPT) among women with HIV in the current context of wide access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). To investigate this issue, we analysed the characteristics of a series of VPTs which occurred in an ongoing observational national study of pregnant women with HIV between 2002 and 2008. Sixty-three cases of VPT were compared with 334 pregnancies not ending in a VPT concurrently reported from the same centres. VPTs showed significant associations with unplanned pregnancy (odds ratio [OR]: 24.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.8-101.2), previous pregnancies reported to the study (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.30-4.82), lower CD4 counts (270 vs. 420 cells/mm(3)), and HIV-infected current partner (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 0.97-3.63). Our data indicate that there is still the need to improve pregnancy planning among women with HIV, and strongly suggest that interventions aimed at improving pregnancy planning might also reduce the occurrence of VPT. Women with low CD4 counts and those with an HIV-infected partner represent two groups that should receive particular attention in preventive strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy. floridia@iss.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Floridia
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tamburrini
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tibaldi
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anzidei
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Muggiasca
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maccabruni
authors.forename: Atim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: Arsenio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spinillo
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalzero
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravizza
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000639:trends*; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents