The influence of pregnancy on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: antepartum and postpartum changes in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral load

Biomarkers from late pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum in HIV-infected women who continue versus discontinue antiretroviral therapy after delivery

BACKGROUND

Women who use antiretroviral therapy (ART) solely for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV discontinue postpartum. We hypothesized that women discontinuing ART by 6 weeks postpartum ("discontinuers") would have elevated postpartum inflammatory biomarker levels relative to women remaining on ART postpartum ("continuers").

METHODS

Data from HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group P1025 with CD4 counts >350 cells per cubic millimeter before initiating ART or first pregnancy CD4 counts >400 cells per cubic millimeter after starting ART and with available stored plasma samples at >20 weeks of gestation, delivery, and 6 weeks postpartum were analyzed. Plasma samples were tested for highly sensitive C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and interleukin-6. We used longitudinal linear spline regression to model biomarkers over time.

RESULTS

Data from 128 women (65 continuers and 63 discontinuers) were analyzed. All biomarkers increased from late pregnancy to delivery, then decreased postpartum (slopes different from 0, P < 0.001). Continuers had a steeper decrease in log D-dimer between delivery and 6 weeks postpartum than discontinuers (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to results from treatment interruption studies in adults, both ART continuers and ART discontinuers had significant decreases in the levels of D-dimer, highly sensitive C-reactive protein, or interleukin-6 postpartum. Continuation was associated with a more rapid decline in D-dimer levels compared with discontinuation.

Factors associated with desire for children among HIV-infected women and men: a quantitative and qualitative analysis from Malawi and implications for the delivery of safer conception counseling

Improved health outcomes have resulted in people with HIV facing decisions about childbearing. We sought to understand the factors associated with desire for a child among men and women in Malawi. HIV-infected men and women ages 18-40 were invited to participate in a brief interview about fertility desires. Single variable logistic regression was used to evaluate the factors associated with the outcome of fertility desire. Additionally, multiple logistic regression was used to assess the relationship of all the factors together on the outcome of fertility desire. In-depth interviews with women were performed to understand experiences with reproductive health care. A total of 202 brief interviews were completed with 75 men (37.1%) and 127 women (62.9%), with 103 (51.0%) of respondents desiring a child. Being in a relationship (OR: 3.48, 95% CI: 1.58-7.65, p = 0.002) and duration of HIV more than two years (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.08-3.67, p = 0.03) were associated with increased odds of desire for a child. Age 36-40 years (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.46-0.90, p = 0.009) and having a living child (OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07-0.84, p = 0.03) were associated with decreased odds of desire for a child. Seventy percent of women (n = 19 of 27 respondents) completing semistructured interviews who responded to the question about decision-making reported that their male partners made decisions about children, while the remainder reported the decision was collaborative (n = 8, 30%). Eighty-six percent of women (n = 36 of 42 respondents) reported no discussion or a discouraging discussion with a provider about having children. HIV-infected women and men in Malawi maintain a desire to have children. Interventions are needed to integrate safer conception into HIV care, to improve male participation in safer conception counseling, and to empower providers to help patients make decisions about reproduction free of discrimination and coercion.

Maternal HIV-1 disease progression 18-24 months postdelivery according to antiretroviral prophylaxis regimen (triple-antiretroviral prophylaxis during pregnancy and breastfeeding vs zidovudine/single-dose nevirapine prophylaxis): The Kesho Bora randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis effectively reduces mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV). However, it is unclear whether stopping ARVs after breastfeeding cessation affects maternal HIV disease progression. We assessed 18-24-month postpartum disease progression risk among women in a randomized trial assessing efficacy and safety of prophylactic maternal ARVs.

METHODS

From 2005 to 2008, HIV-infected pregnant women with CD4(+) counts of 200-500/mm(3) were randomized to receive either triple ARV (zidovudine, lamivudine, and lopinavir/ritonavir during pregnancy and breastfeeding) or AZT/sdNVP (zidovudine until delivery with single-dose nevirapine without postpartum prophylaxis). Maternal disease progression was defined as the combined endpoint of death, World Health Organization clinical stage 4 disease, or CD4(+) counts of <200/mm(3).

RESULTS

Among 824 randomized women, 789 had at least 1 study visit after cessation of ARV prophylaxis. Following delivery, progression risk up to 24 months postpartum in the triple ARV arm was significantly lower than in the AZT/sdNVP arm (15.7% vs 28.3%; P = .001), but the risks of progression after cessation of ARV prophylaxis (rather than after delivery) were not different (15.0% vs 13.8% 18 months after ARV cessation). Among women with CD4(+) counts of 200-349/mm(3) at enrollment, 24.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.7-35.5) progressed with triple ARV, and 23.0% (95% CI, 17.8-29.5) progressed with AZT/sdNVP, whereas few women in either arm (<5%) with initial CD4(+) counts of ≥350/mm(3) progressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Interrupting prolonged triple ARV prophylaxis had no effect on HIV progression following cessation (compared with AZT/sdNVP). However, women on triple ARV prophylaxis had lower progression risk during the time on triple ARV. Given the high rate of progression among women with CD4(+) cells of <350/mm(3), ARVs should not be discontinued in this group.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

ISRCTN71468410.

Maternal outcomes after HAART for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in HIV-infected women in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Information is lacking on outcomes in HIV-infected Brazilian women with CD4(+) T-cell counts >200 cells/mm(3) who initiate HAART for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and discontinue after delivery.

METHODS

Clinical event rates after postpartum HAART discontinuation were calculated for all WHO stage 2-3 events, as well as for HIV progression warranting HAART re-initiation, defined by a WHO stage 4 event and/or CD4(+) T-cell decrease to ≤200 cells/mm(3). Predictors of the WHO stage 2-3 events and HIV progression outcomes were evaluated with Cox's proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

A total of 120 women were followed for a mean of 1.5 years after delivery. Overall, 26 women had 30 events as follows: 20 developed WHO stage 2-3 events, yielding an incidence rate of 13/100 person-years (PY; 95% CI 8-20); 10 developed HIV progression requiring HAART re-initiation (incidence ratio 6/100 PY, 95% CI 3-11). Among progressors, a single woman developed a WHO stage 4 clinical event and the remainder had CD4(+) T-cell decreases. Women who had baseline CD4(+) T-cell counts between 200-500 cells/mm(3) had a hazard ratio for WHO stage 2-3 events of 2.5 compared to women with baseline ≥500 cells/mm(3) (95% CI 1.0-6.3; P=0.05). The only significant predictor of HIV progression was baseline CD4(+) T-cell count (hazard ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-0.99; P=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

In this observational study, a baseline CD4(+) T-cell count <500 cells/mm(3) was associated with an increased risk of postpartum WHO stage 2-3 clinical events and HIV disease progression. Randomized studies are needed to further evaluate the effect of postpartum treatment discontinuation on maternal health.

Pregnancy and virologic response to antiretroviral therapy in South Africa

BACKGROUND

Although women of reproductive age are the largest group of HIV-infected individuals in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about the impact of pregnancy on response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in that setting. We examined the effect of incident pregnancy after HAART initiation on virologic response to HAART.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We evaluated a prospective clinical cohort of adult women who initiated HAART in Johannesburg, South Africa between 1 April 2004 and 30 September 2009, and followed up until an event, death, transfer, drop-out, or administrative end of follow-up on 31 March 2010. Women over age 45 and women who were pregnant at HAART initiation were excluded from the study; final sample size for analysis was 5,494 women. Main exposure was incident pregnancy, experienced by 541 women; main outcome was virologic failure, defined as a failure to suppress virus to ≤ 400 copies/ml by six months or virologic rebound >400 copies/ml thereafter. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios using marginal structural Cox proportional hazards models and weighted lifetable analysis to calculate adjusted five-year risk differences. The weighted hazard ratio for the effect of pregnancy on time to virologic failure was 1.34 (95% confidence limit [CL] 1.02, 1.78). Sensitivity analyses generally confirmed these main results.

CONCLUSIONS

Incident pregnancy after HAART initiation was associated with modest increases in both relative and absolute risks of virologic failure, although uncontrolled confounding cannot be ruled out. Nonetheless, these results reinforce that family planning is an essential part of care for HIV-positive women in sub-Saharan Africa. More work is needed to confirm these findings and to explore specific etiologic pathways by which such effects may operate.

Postpartum viral load rebound in HIV-1-infected women treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy: AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol A5150

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy may lead to increases in HIV-1 RNA levels postpartum. The AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) A5150 study was designed to characterize the incidence of viral load rebound during the immediate 24 weeks postpartum and explore factors associated with viral load rebound.

METHODS

We enrolled pregnant women in the United States who were ≥13 years of age, between 22 to 30 weeks gestation, and who planned to be on stable highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for ≥8 weeks predelivery and to continue this therapy after delivery for the duration of the study. Choice of antiretrovirals (ARVs) was determined by the primary HIV provider. Viral load rebound was defined as an increase of ≥0.7 log10 (5-fold) from the average of the weeks 34 and 36 gestation viral loads to week 24 postpartum or an absolute increase to ≯500 copies/mL for those with viral load <50 copies/mL.

RESULTS

Eighty-four women enrolled for postpartum follow-up. Sixty-three had follow-up and viral load obtained through week 24 postpartum. Overall, 18/63 (28.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 17.9-41.4) met criteria for viral load rebound. Nineteen of the 63 women made changes or discontinued their ARV regimen prior to week 24 postpartum. For those who remained on stable ARVs, rebound occurred in 8/44 (18.2%; 95% CI, 8.2-32.7) compared with 10/19 (52.6%; 95% CI, 28.9-75.5) who did not remain on a stable ARV regimen.

CONCLUSIONS

In the early postpartum period, HIV-1-infected women commonly have increases in viral load. Unplanned changes in ARV regimens and discontinuations of treatment are frequent.

Levels and patterns of HIV RNA viral load in untreated pregnant women

OBJECTIVE

To assess pregnancy levels and patterns of HIV RNA in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, while appropriately adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal immune status and race.

METHODS

Data on > or = 1 antenatal HIV RNA measurements were available for 333 untreated HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the European Collaborative Study. CD4 counts and HIV RNA measurements were routinely collected from 1992 and 1998, respectively. Linear mixed effects models based on 246 women for whom complete data were available examined changes in HIV RNA levels over pregnancy, with a nested random effects term accounting for measurement variability within women and period of sample collection.

RESULTS

The change in HIV RNA over pregnancy varied significantly by race (p=0.005): from the second trimester until delivery, HIV RNA decreased significantly by an estimated 0.019 log(10) copies/ml/week in white women (95% CI -0.03, -0.007); in black women the estimated 0.016 log(10) copies/ml/week increase (95% CI -0.005, 0.037) was not statistically significant. At delivery, HIV RNA levels in black women were 0.45 log(10) copies/ml higher (95% CI 0.08, 0.83) than in white women.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that HIV RNA dynamics over pregnancy differ by race, although other interpretations cannot be excluded, due to potential for unmeasured confounding.

Restricting access of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients to infertility services: a legal analysis of the rights of reproductive endocrinologists and of HIV-seropositive patients

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the legal rights of reproductive endocrinologists and HIV-seropositive patients seeking infertility services.

DESIGN

Westlaw and LexisNexis commercial legal search engines were used to perform a legal review of statutes and cases pertaining to HIV-seropositive patients seeking health care services.

CONCLUSION(S)

Human immunodeficiency virus antidiscrimination laws apply to healthcare providers whether they practice in private clinics or a university setting. Patients infected with HIV cannot be denied access to health services solely on the basis of their HIV status. If proof exists that HIV-seropositive patients will medically benefit by a referral to another provider with more expertise, it is legally permissible to refer these patients to another provider who has more expertise in providing infertility services to HIV-seropositive patients. However, the burden will be on the reproductive endocrinologist to demonstrate that he or she lacks the capability to care for HIV-seropositive patients and that the referral was for the medical benefit of the patient and of the patient's potential offspring.

Time to undetectable viral load after highly active antiretroviral therapy initiation among HIV-infected pregnant women

BACKGROUND

There have been no clinical trials in resource-rich regions that have addressed the question of which highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens are more effective for optimal viral response in antiretroviral-naive, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women.

METHODS

Data on 240 HIV-1-infected women starting HAART during pregnancy who were enrolled in the prospective European Collaborative Study from 1997 through 2004 were analyzed. An interval-censored survival model was used to assess whether factors, including type of HAART regimen, race, region of birth, and baseline immunological and virological status, were associated with the duration of time necessary to suppress viral load below undetectable levels before delivery of a newborn.

RESULTS

Protease inhibitor-based HAART was initiated in 156 women (65%), 125 (80%) of whom received nelfinavir, and a nevirapine-based regimen was initiated in the remaining 84 women (35%). Undetectable viral loads were achieved by 73% of the women by the time of delivery. Relative hazards of time to achieving viral suppression were 1.54 (95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.26) for nevirapine-based HAART versus PI-based regimens and 1.90 (95% confidence interval, 1.16-3.12) for western African versus non-African women. The median duration of time from HAART initiation to achievement of an undetectable viral load was estimated to be 1.4 times greater in women receiving PI-based HAART, compared with women receiving nevirapine-based HAART. Baseline HIV RNA load was also a significant predictor of the rapidity of achieving viral suppression by delivery, but baseline immune status was not.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, nevirapine-based HAART (compared with PI [mainly nelfinavir]-based HAART), western African origin, and lower baseline viral load were associated with shorter time to achieving viral suppression.

HIV-1: maternal prognosis

Profound modifications in the profile of patients are currently being observed within the epidemic context of AIDS, especially with respect to pauperization and feminization of the disease. The population most frequently affected is in the reproductive age, and among adults aged 18 to 24 years, the ratio is 1 man to 1 woman, a phenomenon occurring uniformly all over the world. One of the main challenges for HIV-1-infected pregnant women and their doctors is the effect of the interaction between HIV infection and pregnancy. The present article is a review of the literature; and its objective is to assess the influence of HIV-1 infection seen from the maternal perspective, with a discussion of immunologic function, maternal prognosis, and the HIV-abortion interface. At present, we cannot conclude that pregnancy has a short-term effect on the evolution of HIV infection, but the concomitance of HIV and pregnancy may adversely affect the prognosis of gestation, especially in view of its frequent association with increased abortion and puerperal morbidity rates.

Reproduction in couples who are affected by human immunodeficiency virus: Medical, ethical, and legal considerations

There has been a transformation in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus from the treatment of complications that define acquired immune deficiency syndrome to the maintenance of long-term health, with an expanding number of antiretroviral medications. Because human immunodeficiency virus infection now is considered to be a chronic disease, couples will be seen in greater numbers for preconception counseling. The ethical and legal implications, including the relevance of the Americans with Disability Act, are complex but support the assistance with reproduction of couples who are affected by human immunodeficiency virus in many instances. All couples who are affected by human immunodeficiency virus, whether fertile or infertile, who want to have genetically related offspring should be seen preconceptionally for counseling and testing. Intensive education involves a multidisciplinary approach to ensure that a couple is fully informed. Determination of whether to offer treatment should be based on the same criteria that are applied to couples who are affected by other chronic diseases. Medical treatment is dependent on the unique circumstances of each couple. In general, the affected partner(s) should be treated aggressively with antiretrovirals and then serum; if applicable, semen testing is required to document undetectable concentrations of human immunodeficiency virus (<50-100 copies/mL).

Effect of cessation of zidovudine prophylaxis to reduce vertical transmission on maternal HIV disease progression and survival

Zidovudine prophylaxis is recommended to reduce perinatal HIV-1 transmission, but there are limited data on long-term effects on women's health. Pediatrics AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG) 288 was a prospective observational study among US women randomized to zidovudine or placebo in PACTG 076 that was designed to evaluate and compare postpartum clinical, immune, and viral parameters between randomized treatment arms. Forty-eight percent (226/474) of eligible women enrolled in the study (mean follow-up of 4.1 years). Progression and time to AIDS or death were similar in both groups, observed in 21 (19%) zidovudine group women and 29 (25%) placebo group women (RR = 0.73, 90% CI: 0.46-1.17). No significant differences in CD4 lymphocyte count or HIV RNA levels were detected. Genotypic zidovudine resistance was detected in 10% of 156 women (9% of zidovudine group women and 11% of placebo group women). Based on our data, ZDV monotherapy could be considered as chemoprophylaxis to reduce perinatal HIV transmission for minimally symptomatic HIV-infected pregnant women with a low viral load and normal CD4 cell count who do not want to receive highly active antiretroviral therapy because of concern about potential side effects or who wish to reduce fetal exposure to multiple drugs during pregnancy.

Pregnancy and infection with human immunodeficiency virus

During the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of women infected with HIV and the number of women with clinical AIDS. One of the most prominent features of HIV infection is that it is usually diagnosed during the peak reproductive years, and in 1998, HIV/AIDS was the fourth leading cause of death among women between the ages of 25 and 44 years. For this reason, there has been long-standing concern regarding the obstetric implications of HIV infection: both the impact of pregnancy on possibly accelerating the course of HIV disease and the impact of HIV infection on the course of pregnancy. There appears to be some immunologic changes associated with pregnancy, but they are not dramatic, and immune markers generally resume their prepregnancy values after delivery. With regard to long-term effects of pregnancy on HIV disease progression, no study to date has shown significant increases in mortality or in AIDS incidence associated with pregnancy. Studies have generally been small, however, and none have accounted for antiretroviral therapy usage. Many studies have shown that certain adverse outcomes are more common in HIV-positive pregnant women as compared with HIV-negative pregnant women, and concerns have been raised that spontaneous abortions may be more common among HIV-infected women and that this may impact fertility rates. Although important understanding has been acquired regarding the associations between pregnancy and the course of HIV infection, much remains to be understood. Additional, well-designed studies are clearly needed to rigorously address the many remaining questions that exist. We can anticipate that the resolution of these questions will continue to be of broad public health interest as the epidemic impacts increasing numbers of women, a large fraction of whom will be adolescents.

Human immunodeficiency virus and assisted reproduction: reconsidering evidence, reframing ethics

OBJECTIVE

To review the advances in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and revisit the medical, ethical, and legal issues surrounding infertility management in HIV-infected couples.

DESIGN

Analytic review.

RESULTS(S)

HIV infection continues to be a serious public health and reproductive issue. However, present policies which allow for the categorical exclusion of HIV-infected individuals from infertility services should be reconsidered in light of improvements in the prognosis of infected individuals and a dramatic decrease in the risk of vertical transmission. An analysis of the ethical cogency of the arguments against the provision of services does not substantiate the exclusion of HIV-infected individuals; rather, the principle of justice requires that HIV-infected women be treated the same way as a woman who might have an increased risk of conceiving a child with a disability or a may have a decreased life expectancy due to a chronic illness such as diabetes. Ethical disagreement notwithstanding, with the precedents recently established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), discrimination based on HIV status would also likely be unlawful under most circumstances.

CONCLUSIONS(S)

With advances in the treatment of HIV infection, contextualized counseling and a respect for patients' decisions regarding infertility treatment should be adopted as public policy. It is neither ethically nor legally justifiable to categorically exclude individuals from infertility services on the basis of HIV infection.

Coreceptor usage of HIV-1 isolates representing different genetic subtypes obtained from pregnant Cameroonian women. European Network for In Utero Transmission of HIV-1

In this study, coreceptor usage of HIV-1 other than subtype B in relation to HIV-1 transmission from mother to child was investigated. Repeated sampling of 42 HIV-1-seropositive, asymptomatic women in Cameroon during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, at delivery, and 6 months postpartum were performed. Env subtyping was carried out from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by heteroduplex mobility assay and, whenever necessary, by DNA sequencing. Virus isolates were tested for coreceptor usage on human cell lines-U87.CD4 and GHOST(3)-engineered to express stably CD4 and the chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2b, CCR3, CCR5, or CXCR4, or the orphan receptors BOB/gpr15 or Bonzo/STRL33/TYMSTR. Transmission rate was 11.9%. Viruses were predominantly envelope subtype A and used CCR5 as coreceptor and, surprisingly, 4 of 28 (14.2%) isolates from mothers and 1 of 3 isolates from children used the orphan receptor Bonzo as well. In 2 transmitting mothers from whom sequential HIV-1 isolates were available, viral coreceptor usage evolved from CCR5 monotropic to CCR5/Bonzo dual tropic during pregnancy, and in 1 case transmission of this virus could be documented. Our data suggest that evolution of HIV-1 coreceptor usage to dual (or multi-) tropism may occur during pregnancy.

Risk assessment

Risk assessment is the process by which clinicians screen for conditions that, if unmanaged, result in complications of pregnancy or adverse birth outcomes and for which an intervention would improve the well-being of the mother, child, and family. One of the major US health care goals is that by the year 2000, at least 90% of pregnant women will receive risk appropriate care. This article discusses the major risks to the mother and child during pregnancy, and presents tools to assess pregnancy well-being.

Viral Load Monitoring in HIV Infection

Measurement of HIV-1 viral load is now an accepted part of clinical practice for the determination of clinical prognosis and antiretroviral effectiveness in HIV infection. Consensus guidelines have been published on the appropriate use of this testing. Furthermore, recent advances in molecular technology have improved the sensitivity and reproducibility of viral load assays, and these improved assays have provided new insight into the pathogenesis of HIV disease. This article reviews new issues affecting viral load quantification, including viral subtypes, sex, compartmental differences, and other covariables.