Orsi MG, Galli L, Ciuffi L, Lotti M, De Martino M; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24; 8: 180 (abstract no. PuC 8167).

Department of Pediatrics, University of Florence, Italy.

OBJECT: Analysis of psychosocial factors interfering on the spreading of perinatal HIV-1 infection to identify strategies for reducing the number of at-risk children. METHODS: CIU series include 86 children born to HIV+ mothers. The mothers' psychosocial features were analyzed on data collected in specific forms during repeated interviews. In addition, medical records and forms of the Service for drug addict care were reviewed. RESULTS: 55 children were born to drug-addicted mothers whereas 31 were children of sexually infected women. Among the latter women, 25 were partners of drug addicted men. Two groups were identified: a) children born to women conscious to be HIV+ before pregnancy b) children born to women who were aware of their seropositivity in the imminence of, or immediately after, delivery Proportion of a) children was significantly [less than 0.0001] higher when the mother was drug-addicted [2/55 = 3.6%] than when the mother was partner of a seropositive man [16/31 = 51.6%]. CONCLUSIONS: the study shows that on one hand the lack of effective intervention in at-risk couples and, on the other, a possibly not sharp counselling in drug addicted women contribute in our areas to the spreading of perinatal HIV-1 infection. The knowledge of only 20% HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission rate and the need of moral recovery in seropositive drug addicted women may have an additional role. As a matter of fact, an increasing proportion [up to 6%] of seropositive mothers in our country undertake a second or third pregnancy after delivery of a first at-risk child [IJP, 17:370, 1991]. This occurs even though pediatric centers discourage pregnancy in these women. In an attempt to reduce at-risk pregnancies we outline a multidisciplinary intervention including medical and psychosocial approach to optimize the counselling for: a) HIV+ drug users women who plan to undertake a pregnancy; b) women who are partners of drug addicted men. Seronegative adoptive mothers of HIV-1 infected children may contribute to this preventive strategy.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Child
• Counseling
• Demography
• Female
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• HIV-1
• Humans
• Male
• Mothers
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
• Pregnancy Outcome
• Research
• Substance-Related Disorders

Other ID:

• 92403859

UI: 102201573

From Meeting Abstracts