Objective: To analyze determinants of pregnancy outcome, among HIV infected and uninfected intravenous drug users.
Study design: A total of 315 pregnant current intravenous drug users, IVDU (151 HIV infected and 164 HIV uninfected subjects) were referred to the Center for Pregnant 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 pregnancy, gestational age at childbirth, mode of delivery, pregnancy outcome and newborn weight, height, head circumference, sex and Apgar at 1 and 5 min. Out of 133 children (born to HIV infected mothers) for whom HIV status was available, 20 (15%) were HIV infected or developed AIDS-related signs and symptoms during a 24 months follow-up. The distribution 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 of adverse course of pregnancy than HIV uninfected women. Vertical transmission rates were not associated to newborn characteristics.