Antiretroviral therapy, sexually transmitted infections, and adverse pregnancy outcomes in South Africa

Abstract

We read with interest the article by Theron et al. on their post hoc analysis of the Promoting Maternal and Infant Survival Everywhere (PROMISE) 1077BF/1077FF trials. They found an increased incidence of low birth-weight (LBW) infants (<2500 g) and adverse pregnancy outcomes in women who conceived while on antiretroviral therapy (ART) compared with those who restarted ART after pregnancy was diagnosed. Their study adds an important data point to the limited, and sometimes contradictory, evidence regarding safety of ART in pregnancy and its relationship with adverse pregnancy outcomes.