Seroprevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women in the Veneto region (north-east Italy)

A heterogeneous population of 4396 consecutive pregnant women (86.6% indige nous, 13.4% immigrants) attending the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecolo gy of the University of Padua (north-east Italy) were counselled and tested for HIV infection between September 1995 and December 1997. Sociodemograph ic and sanitary data were collected on each case. Anti-HIV prevalence was 0 .57%. Intravenous drug use and foreign birth accounted for 28% and 24%, res pectively, of the anti-HIV positive cases; 44% of the HIV-positive subjects reported no risk factors. In the logistic regression HN positivity proved independently associated with intravenous drug use (adjusted OR 76.6), sexu ally transmitted diseases (adjusted OR 13.2), unmarried status (adjusted OR 4.8), birth outside the European Union (EU) (adjusted OR 3.1) and age (adj usted OR 1.1). Heterosexual HIV spread appears to be a major concern. The m onitoring of trends in HIV infection among subgroups should be continued in order to control the AIDS epidemic appropriately both by promoting HIV cou nselling and individual care, and by watching for changes in the social bac kground.