Abstract:
The Siyakhula study is an ongoing, observational cohort study in Pretoria, South
Africa, that aims to understand how maternal HIV infection and perinatal environmental
factors shape development and health in infants who are HIV-exposed (in utero and during
breastfeeding) but remain uninfected themselves (HEU). The Siyakhula Collaborative
Workshop, which took place at the Research Centre for Maternal, Fetal, Newborn & Child
Health Care Strategies at Kalafong Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa on November 15–16,
2018, brought together a group of international health scientists, clinicians, and stakeholders,
including women with lived experience, to build capacity for research and training on the
impact of HIV infection on women’s and infants’ health across geographical and disciplinary
boundaries. The workshop sought to summarise the state of knowledge on the effects of
being HEU on infant development and health in the first two years of life, identify gaps in
existing research on modifiable exposures that may be associated with poor infant development,
and develop ideas for novel research and interventions to lessen or prevent adverse
health outcomes in pregnant or breastfeeding people living with HIV. These proceedings
summarise the pre-workshop consensus process that was used to identify priority areas to
discuss during small-group breakout sessions, as well as the themes and key challenges that
emerged from these discussions during the workshop.
