The
objective of
the current
retrospective
analysis, conducted
at the B.J
Waida
Hospital
for Children
in Parel,
Mumbai,
India,
was to determine
whether vaginal
delivery along
with antiretroviral
therapy
and avoidance
of breastfeeding
is safe in preventing
MTCT of HIV.
Two hundred
twenty-two (222)
HIV
positive pregnant
women
were treated
with zidovudine
(AZT; Retrovir)
from 14 weeks
of gestation
onwards. One
hundred seventy-four
(174) women
underwent an
elective caesarian
section whereas
48 women delivered
spontaneously
vaginally.
All
infants were
treated with
zidovudine
for 6 weeks
and breastfeeding
was withheld.
The HIV status
of the infants
was determined
at 18 months
by ELISA
test.
Results
The
author of the
present study
concludes, “Thus,
elective caesarean
section was
not statistically
better as compared
to vaginal delivery
( p = 0.8696)
suggesting that
vaginal delivery
was as effective
as caesarean
section for
prevention of
MTCT of HIV
when added with
antiretroviral
therapy and
no breastfeeding.”
“Vaginal
delivery along
with antiretroviral
therapy in mother
and baby and
avoidance of
breastfeeding
is equivalent
to that of an
elective LSCS
delivery for
prevention of
mother-to-child
transmission
of HIV. Surgical
intervention
may thus not
be required
in these women.”
Department
of Perinatal
and Pediatric
HIV Clinic,
B.
J.
Wadia
Hospital
for Children,
Parel,
Mumbai,
India.
04/07/06
Reference
I
Shah.
Is
Elective Caesarian
Section Really
Essential for
Prevention of
Mother to Child
Transmission
of HIV in the
Era of Antiretroviral
Therapy and
Abstinence of
Breast Feeding?
Journal
of Tropical
Pediatrics March
29, 2006 [Epub
ahead of print].
