title: Mental health of HIV-seropositive women during pregnancy and postpartum period: a comprehensive literature review.
abstract: With growing numbers of HIV-seropositive (HIV+) women of child-bearing age and increased access to effective clinical protocols for preventing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, mental health-related factors have become increasingly relevant due to their potential to affect the women's quality of life, obstetric outcomes and risk of MTCT. This review synthesizes evidence from 53 peer-reviewed publications examining mental health-related variables in pregnant and postpartum HIV+ women. The presentation of results is organized by the level of socioeconomic resources in the countries where studies were conducted (i.e., high-, middle-, and low-income countries). It is concluded that psychiatric symptoms, particularly depression, and mental health vulnerabilities (e.g., inadequate coping skills) are widespread among pregnant HIV+ women globally and have a potential to affect psychological well-being, quality of life and salient clinical outcomes. The current body of evidence provides rationale for developing and evaluating clinical and structural interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes and their clinical correlates in pregnant HIV+ women.
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA, suad.kapetanovic@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Suad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapetanovic
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dass-Brailsford
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nora
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Talisman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers; D008603:Mental Health; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents