Many Hiv-exposed Newborns Miss Preventive Treatment After Birth

Newborns exposed to HIV during gestation aliases commencement should person preventive antiretroviral medicine instantly aft transportation to trim nan consequence of transmission from mother to child.

But a study finds that much than half of infants diagnosed pinch HIV successful their first twelvemonth of life had not received this basal postnatal curen - suggesting their mothers' infections whitethorn not person been detected during pregnancy.

The study besides highlights group disparities successful HIV exposure, infection and treatment: The mostly of infants who had not been treated for an HIV infection aft commencement were Black, according to nan findings in Pediatrics.

Being calved pinch HIV profoundly affects a child's wellness and future, and we person effective devices to forestall it. When newborns aren't getting preventive treatment, it suggests we whitethorn beryllium missing HIV infections successful pregnant women and missing captious opportunities to intervene."

Kengo Inagaki, M.D., senior author, pediatric infectious illness master astatine University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital

Missed prevention successful precocious consequence infants

Researchers analyzed Medicaid information for much than 3 cardinal infants calved betwixt 2009 and 2021.

Among 52 infants diagnosed pinch HIV by property one, much than half had not received nan recommended postnatal antiretroviral prophylaxis.

"Our findings constituent to imaginable gaps successful prenatal HIV detection," said Inagaki, who's besides a interrogator astatine nan U-M Medical School and pinch nan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.

"Universal HIV screening is recommended successful nan first trimester, but it's not consistently repeated later successful pregnancy, erstwhile caller infections tin occur."

Retesting during nan 3rd trimester, he adds, could thief place mothers who get HIV later successful gestation - and forestall mother-to-child transmission done timely treatment.

Racial disparities accordant pinch nationalist data

The study besides reflects broader nationalist trends successful group disparities related to HIV.

Nearly 74% of infants who were diagnosed pinch HIV but did not person preventive medicine were Black.

This reflects long-standing disparities successful wellness attraction access, including HIV screening and maternal care, Inagaki says.

National surveillance information show that while women relationship for astir 18% of caller HIV infections successful nan United States, much than 60% of these are successful women of childbearing property and complete half of those are Black women.

Strengthening prevention for at-risk newborns

U.S. guidelines for preventing perinatal HIV transmission person evolved complete nan past 3 decades.

Today, astir each infants calved to mothers pinch known HIV infections person postnatal antiretroviral prophylaxis, importantly reducing their consequence of infection.

"Virtually each perinatal HIV infections successful nan U.S. are preventable," Inagaki said.

"But that prevention starts pinch diagnosing maternal HIV early. If we miss nan infection successful nan mother, we miss nan chance to protect nan baby. HIV is simply a lifelong information requiring lifelong care. That's why timely discovery and curen successful some mothers and infants must stay a nationalist wellness priority."