Objective: This study was undertaken to examine the effect of successive pregnancies over a 3-year
period on the course of maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the rate of
perinatal transmission of HIV.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 32 pregnancies in 14 known HIV-infected women vs. a
matched control group of HIV-infected women who had been pregnant only once was done.Results: The multiple-pregnancy group was similar to the single-pregnancy group for age, race,
duration of known HIV infection, initial CD4 count, and date of first pregnancy. The delivery data
were similar as well. The CD4 counts in the multiple-pregnancy group fell from 595 to 460, while
counts in the single-pregnancy group fell comparably from 669 to 638, both over 37 months
(P = 0.1476). Five of 5 second-born infants of known serostatus vs. 8 of 21 first-born infants were
HIV-infected (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Successive pregnancies do not alter the course of HIV infection in asymptomatic
women followed up to 3 years. The infants of second pregnancies of known HIV-infected women
may be at higher risk for perinatal transmission.
