title: [Characteristics of a cohort of pregnant women with human immunodeficiency virus infection].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding, is the main route of HIV infection in children. Strategies aimed at promoting the health of HIV infected pregnant women and MTCT prevention have reduced transmission to below 2%. This paper presents the clinical and epidemiological features of a cohort from Madrid and compares foreign-born with Spanish-born women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational and descriptive study on HIV infected pregnant women from South Madrid (n=70) and their offspring (n=78) who were born during the study period from August 1992 to January 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most pregnant women were infected by heterosexual transmission (51%). Most Spanish-born women (66%) were diagnosed before pregnancy (81%), while foreign-born women (34%) were diagnosed during pregnancy (70%). Foreign-born women had less obstetric check-ups (67%) than Spanish-born women (97%). The MTCT rate was 1.3% during the last ten years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heterosexual transmission is the primary mode of acquisition of HIV infection both for Spanish-born and foreign-born pregnant women. However, the HIV infection was diagnosed earlier in Spanish-born women. There were no differences in the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy as a preventive measure against MTCT when it is started at an early stage.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Madrid, España. marinaholgado1982@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holgado-Juan
authors.forename: María Concepción
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Holgado-Juan
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: García-Ron
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Esteban-Fernández
authors.forename: Luis Manuel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Prieto-Tato
authors.forename: José Tomás
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ramos-Amador
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult