Korean J Pediatr.  2014 Mar;57(3):117-124. 10.3345/kjp.2014.57.3.117.

Ten years of experience in the prevention of mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus transmission in a university teaching hospital

• Park JW
• Yang TW
• Kim YK
• Choi BM
• Kim HJ
• Park DW

• KMID: 1702650
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2014.57.3.117

Abstract

PURPOSE
Administration of antiretroviral drugs to mothers and infants significantly decreases mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission; cesarean sections and discouraging breastfeeding further decreases this risk. The present study confirmed the HIV status of babies born to mothers infected with HIV and describes the characteristics of babies and mothers who received preventive treatment.
METHODS
This study retrospectively analyzed medical records of nine infants and their mothers positive for HIV who gave birth at Korea University Ansan Hospital, between June 1, 2003, and May 31, 2013. Maternal parameters, including HIV diagnosis date, CD4+ count, and HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) copy number, were analyzed. Infant growth and development, HIV RNA copy number, and HIV antigen/antibody test results were analyzed.
RESULTS
Eight HIV-positive mothers delivered nine babies; all the infants received antiretroviral therapy. Three (37.5%) and five mothers (62.5%) were administered single- and multidrug therapy, respectively. Intravenous zidovudine was administered to four infants (50%) at birth. Breastfeeding was discouraged for all the infants. All the infants were negative for HIV, although two were lost to follow-up. Third trimester maternal viral copy numbers were less than 1,000 copies/mL with a median CD4+ count of 325/microL (92-729/microL). Among the nine infants, two were preterm (22.2%) and three had low birth weights (33.3%).
CONCLUSION
This study concludes that prophylactic antiretroviral therapy, scheduled cesarean section, and prohibition of breastfeeding considerably decrease mother-to-child HIV transmission. Because the number of infants infected via mother-to-child transmission may be increasing, studies in additional regions using more variables are necessary.

Keyword

HIV infections; Vertical transmission of infectious disease; Postnatal care; Antiretroviral therapy; Prevention of HIV infections

MeSH Terms

Breast Feeding
CD4 Lymphocyte Count
Cesarean Section
Diagnosis
Female
Growth and Development
Gyeonggi-do
HIV Infections
HIV*
Hospitals, Teaching*
Humans
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Korea
Lost to Follow-Up
Medical Records
Mothers
Parturition
Postnatal Care
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, Third
Retrospective Studies
RNA
Zidovudine
RNA
Zidovudine