Effect of HIV infection on pregnancy outcome

The impact of HIV infection on pregnancy outcome is becoming clearer with more research. Some authors suggest that pregnant women infected with HIV may experience excessive fetal loss; however, the precise pathogenesis has not yet been defined. No evidence for an earlier reported HIV fetopathy can be demonstrated in larger populations. Data on growth retardation and preterm delivery outcomes vary by the population described, suggesting that these outcomes may be impacted by multiple non-HIV factors, including maternal social factors, coexistent sexually transmitted diseases or other infectious diseases, and maternal nutritional or clinical HIV disease status.