HIV-infected pregnant women are at higher risk of both micronutrient deficiencies and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, there are no specific World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for micronutrient supplementation for HIV-infected pregnant women. The current guideline from 2003 is the same for pregnant women, irrespective of HIV status, stating that pending additional information, micronutrient intakes at the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) level are recommended for HIV-infected women during pregnancy and lactation. On one hand, multivitamin supplementation with vitamins B-complex, C, and E in HIV-infected pregnant women has been shown to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as fetal loss, low birthweight, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, prematurity, and mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. However, there are concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of other micronutrient supplements, and there is limited evidence in the context of antiretroviral therapy (ART), which may have adverse effects on nutritional status (Ivers et al., 2009). Therefore, in this chapter, we review the literature to examine the existing evidence, inform clinical care, and address the unique healthcare needs of HIV-infected pregnant women.
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