Mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection and its associated factors in the district of Bilene, Gaza Province—Mozambique

Abstract

Background Mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection is a significant problem in Mozambique. This study aims to determine the risk factors associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV in rural Mozambique. Methods Retrospective case-control study in a rural area of Bilene District, on the coast of southern Mozambique, performed from January 2017 to June 2018. The analysis considered the clinical data of HIV exposed children with definitive HIV positive results and their respective infected mothers (cases), and the data of HIV exposed children with definitive HIV negative results and their respective infected mothers (controls) registered in At Risk Child Clinics from 1st January 2017 to 30th June 2018 at the Macia and Praia de Bilene health facilities in Bilene district, Gaza province–Mozambique. Results Ninety pregnant women with HIV were involved in the study, including 30 who had transmitted the infection to their children and 60 who had not. Statistical analysis, adjusted for maternal age and gestational age at first antenatal care visit, showed that independent risk factors for transmission were gestational age at first visit (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–1.36), non-adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (56.7% vs. 5%; aOR 14.12, 95% CI 3.15–63.41); a viral load of 1000 copies/mL or more (90% vs. 5%; aOR: 156, 95% CI 22.91–1,062) and female sex of the neonate (80% vs. 51.7%; aOR: 4.43, 95% CI 1.33–15.87). Conclusion A high viral load and non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy are important predictors of mother-to-child HIV transmission.

Association between service readiness and PMTCT cascade effectiveness: a 2018 cross-sectional analysis from Manica province, Mozambique

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Clinical and Biological Risk Factors Associated with Increased Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Two South-East HIV-AIDS Regional Centers in Romania

“…Liu et al [10] describe that high maternal viral load, measured at delivery, as the strongest risk factor for both in utero and intrapartum transmission of HIV, and CD4+ T cell count, along with clinical stage of infection were also confirmed as significant predictors of transmission. The results of Osorio et al [11] showed that in rural Mozambique, the main predictor of MCTC was maternal viral load of 1000 copies/mL or more before delivery, as well as fewer than three antenatal care visits. Not being on cART by the first trimester and treatment non-adherence were also related to MTCT of HIV.…”