PREGNANCY OUTCOME AMONG HIV-POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS

Objective: To analyze determinants of pregnancy outcome, among HIV inf ected and uninfected intravenous drug users. Study design: A total of 315 pregnant current intravenous drug users, IVDU (151 HIV infected an d 164 HIV uninfected subjects) were referred to the Center for Pregnan t Drug Addicts of the Mangiagalli Clinic, Milan, Italy, for internatal care and delivery between 1985 and 1993. Results: HIV uninfected and infected mothers did not differ significantly according to type of pre gnancy, gestational age at childbirth, mode of delivery, pregnancy out come and newborn weight, height, head circumference, sex and Apgar at 1 and 5 min. Out of 133 children (born to HIV infected mothers) for wh om HIV status was available, 20 (15%) were HIV infected or developed A IDS-related signs and symptoms during a 24 months follow-up. The distr ibution of HIV infected and non infected infants was not significantly different as regards maternal CD4 lymphocyte count, week of gestation at birth, mode of delivery, infant weight, height, head circumference and Apgar at 1 and 5 min. Conclusion: Our data show that HIV infected women in the early stages of HIV infection are not at a higher risk o f adverse course of pregnancy than HIV uninfected women. Vertical tran smission rates were not associated to newborn characteristics. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.