Impact of HIV-Status Disclosure on HIV Viral Load in Pregnant and Postpartum Women on Antiretroviral Therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

HIV-status disclosure is widely encouraged by counseling services, in part because it is thought to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and thus HIV viral suppression. However, few longitudinal studies have examined the impact of disclosure on HIV viral load (VL) during pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods

We explored these associations among 1187 women living with HIV, enrolled between March 2013 and June 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Results

Among women who tested HIV-positive before pregnancy, we observed no association between disclosure and VL at entry into antenatal care among those already on ART, nor at delivery and 12 months postpartum among those initiating ART. Among women who tested HIV-positive during pregnancy and initiated ART subs

SUBMITTER: Brittain K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6594888 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature