Prevalence of Low Birthweight Infants in HIV-Infected Women Delivered in Rajavithi Hospital
Suvanna Asavapiriyanont MD*, Sineeporn Kasiwat MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rajavithi Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To determine the prevalence of low birthweight infants in HIV-infected pregnant women delivered in Rajavithi
Hospital and the relationship between antiretroviral drugs and low birthweight infants.
Material and Method: All numbers of low birthweight (LBW) infants and pregnant women with or without HIV infection
delivered in Rajavithi Hospital during 2004-2008 from medical records were used. Two hundred HIV-infected pregnant
women who delivered their infants at the same period were random for description and analysis.
Results : The prevalence of low birthweight infants delivered by HIV and non HIV-infected pregnant women were 12.6% (53/
420) and 13.3% (4,249/31,975), respectively. There was no significant association between HIV infection and low birthweight
(p = 0.688). Low birthweight infants delivered from HIV-infected pregnant women with and without antiretroviral therapy
were 9.9% (7/41) and 13.6% (19/159), respectively. Various types of antiretroviral (ARV) drug including no ARV were
significantly associated with LBW (p = 0.021). The one who received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) had 2.27
times higher risk in having LBW.
Conclusion : The prevalence of low birthweight infants among HIV-infected pregnant women was 12.6%. There was no
association between HIV infection and LBW. HAART might be a risk of LBW.
Keywords : Low birthweight, HIV-infected pregnant women, Antiretroviral therapy, HAART, Rajavithi Hospital
