Van der Merwe, Karin Joan2011-02-242011-02-242011-02-24http://hdl.handle.net/10539/9087MSc, Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences,University of the WitwatersrandBackground To investigate whether in-utero exposure to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) is associated with low birth weight and/or preterm birth in a population of South African women with advanced HIV infection. Methods A retrospective observational study was performed on women with CD4 cell counts ≤250 cells/mm3 attending antenatal antiretroviral clinics at two clinics in Johannesburg between October 2004 and March 2007. Low birth weight (<2.5kg) and preterm birth rates (<37 weeks) were compared in those exposed versus unexposed to HAART during pregnancy. Effects of different HAART regimen and duration (<28 weeks or ≥ 28 weeks) were assessed. Results Among HAART-unexposed infants 27% (60/224) were low birth weight (LBW) compared to 23% (90/388) of early HAART-exposed and 19% (76/407) of late HAART-exposed infants (P=0.05). In the early HAART group, older maternal age was associated with LBW and higher CD4 cell count protective against LBW (AOR 1.06, 95% CI 1.00- 1.12 and AOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.46-0.73, P<0.001, respectively). HAART-exposed infants had an increased risk of preterm birth vii (<37 weeks) (15% [138/946] versus 5% [7/147], p=0.001), with early (<28 weeks) nevirapine and efavirenz having the strongest associations with preterm birth (AOR 5.4, 95%CI 2.1-13.7, P<0.001 and AOR 5.6, 95%CI 2.1-15.2, P=0.001, respectively). Conclusion Among infants born to women with CD4 cell counts <250 cells/mm3, HAART exposure was associated with preterm birth, but not with low birth weight. More advanced immunosuppression was a significant risk factor for both LBW and preterm birth, highlighting the importance of earlier HAART initiation in pregnant women, both to optimize maternal health and to improve infant outcomesenhighly active antiretroviral therapyHAARTin-uteroinfant outcomesThesis