Breastfeeding and HIV Infection in China

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in young children born to HIV-positive mothers in rural Yunnan, China

BACKGROUND

Children born to HIV-infected mothers are at risk for neurodevelopmental delay. Little is known about the neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants and toddlers born to HIV-positive mothers but who were not themselves infected by HIV, especially in poor rural areas. This study was conducted to compare developmental outcomes between young children who were HIV exposed but uninfected (HEU), and their HIV unexposed and uninfected (HUU) peers in rural Yunnan, China.

METHODS

A total of 250 HEU children aged 6-36 months and 250 HUU children matched for age, gender and residency were recruited from rural Yunnan, China. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were measured using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley III). Multivariate analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounding effects of caregiver demographic data, maternal health status, birth outcome and children's health status.

RESULTS

HIV exposed but uninfected children had significantly lower composite scores in Bayley III assessment than HUU children (in the cognitive domain: 90.34 vs 92.75, P<0.05; in the adaptive behavior domain: 77.04 vs 80.80, P< 0.05). On stepwise logistic regression analysis, HIV exposure (OR, 1.45; 95%CI: 1.04-1.98) and child malnutrition (OR, 1.67; 95%CI: 1.09-2.23) were risk factors for below-average cognition development. Mother's low education and child anemia were significant risk factors for below-average motor and adaptive behavior development.

CONCLUSION

Perinatal HIV infection may have a negative impact on neurodevelopment in young children. Other factors such as mother's education and child nutrition status may play important roles in child neurodevelopment, especially in resource-poor areas. Further studies are needed to examine the long-term effect of perinatal HIV infection on later childhood neurodevelopment.

Early Initiation of ARV During Pregnancy to Move towards Virtual Elimination of Mother-to-Child-Transmission of HIV-1 in Yunnan, China

Objective

To identify factors associated with mother-to-child-transmission and late access to prevention of maternal to child transmission (PMTCT) services among HIV-infected women; and risk factors for infant mortality among HIV-exposed infants in order to assess the feasibility of virtual elimination of vertical transmission and pediatric HIV in this setting.

Design

Observational study evaluating the impact of a provincial PMTCT program.

Methods

The intervention was implemented in 26 counties of Yunnan Province, China at municipal and tertiary health care settings. Log linear regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to identify unadjusted and adjusted correlates for late ARV intervention and MTCT. Cox proportional hazard models with robust sandwich estimation were applied to examine correlates of infant mortality.

Results

Mother-to-child- transmission rate of HIV was controlled to 2%, with late initiation of maternal ARV showing a strong association with vertical transmission and infant mortality. Risk factors for late initiation of maternal ARV were age, ethnicity, education, and having a husband not tested for HIV. Mortality rate among HIV-exposed infants was 2.9/100 person-years. In addition to late initiation of maternal ARV, ethnicity, low birth weight and preterm birth were associated with infant mortality.

Conclusions

This PMTCT program in Yunnan achieved low rates of MTCT. However the infant mortality rate in this cohort of HIV-exposed children was almost three times the provincial rate. Virtual elimination of MTCT of HIV is an achievable goal in China, but more attention needs to be paid to HIV-free survival.

An integrated city-driven perinatal HIV prevention program covering 1.8 million pregnant women in Shenzhen, China, 2000 to 2010

BACKGROUND

Despite the scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs worldwide, the translation from research studies into public health policy has been slow. This report details the experiences of a city-driven PMTCT program in China using existing health resources.

METHODS

The PMTCT program was devised to hospital based and city-wide. It achieves full use of available resources: the local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Infectious Disease Hospital, Maternal and Child Health Hospitals, and all qualified comprehensive hospitals.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2010, 1,843,122 pregnant women attended prenatal care or labor and delivery services. Overall, 97.4% received pretest HIV counseling, and 96.2% were tested for HIV. Among the 81.1% (1,495,122) of women who attended prenatal clinics, 97.2% (1,452,753) received pretest counseling and 95.7% (1,430,799) were tested for HIV. Among the 18.9% (348,000) of women with an undocumented HIV status at labor and delivery, 98.6% (343,038) received pretest counseling, and 98.1% (341,371) were tested for HIV. In total, 229 women were determined HIV positive for a prevalence of 1.3 per 10,000 pregnant women. Among the 107 HIV-infected women who carried to delivery, 87.9% received antiretroviral prophylaxis for themselves and their infants. Among the 58 women who were identified HIV positive at labor, 10.3% of mothers and 72.4% of infants received antiretroviral prophylaxis. The estimated mother-to-child transmission rate was 5.3% (95% confidence interval, 2.2%-10.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

With appropriate integration, existing health care resources are adequate for a comprehensive city-driven PMTCT program in an area with a low HIV prevalence.