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Maternal HIV is associated with reduced growth in the first year of life among infants in the Eastern region of Ghana
Author(s) -
Lartey Anna,
Marquis Grace S,
PerezEscamilla Rafael,
Mazur Robert,
Brakohiapa Lucy,
Ampofo William,
Sellen Dan
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.216.2
Subject(s) - medicine , underweight , anthropometry , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , pediatrics , socioeconomic status , demography , malnutrition , birth weight , standard score , population , pregnancy , obstetrics , body mass index , immunology , overweight , environmental health , sociology , machine learning , biology , computer science , genetics
The Research to Improve Infant Nutrition and Growth Project used a longitudinal study design to investigate the association between maternal HIV status and growth among Ghanaian infants. Pregnant women in their third trimester were recruited into one of three groups after voluntary counseling and testing: HIV Negative (HIV‐N, n=167) HIV‐positive (HIV‐P, n=147) and HIV status unknown, due to refusal to test (HIV‐U, n= 160). Anthropometric measurements were taken at birth and every month until 12 months of age. Differences in weight‐for‐age (WAZ), length‐for‐age (LAZ) and weight‐for‐length (WLZ) z‐scores from 1–12 month of age were assessed using mixed model repeated measures analysis, controlling for various socioeconomic variables. Adjusted mean WAZ and LAZ at birth were significantly lower for infants of HIV‐P compared to infants of HIV‐N mothers. By 12 months of age, the adjusted mean (±SE) LAZ for infants of HIV‐N vs HIV‐P mothers were −0.23±0.06 vs −0.62 ±0.09 (p=0.001) respectively. The prevalence of stunting (26% vs 6%) and underweight (28% vs 7%) was higher among infants of HIV‐P mothers than infants of HIV‐N mothers. Growth of infants of HIV‐U mothers was between the HIV‐N and HIV‐P groups. Children of HIV‐P mothers living in deprived communities need special support to mitigate the negative effect of maternal HIV infection. Funded by NIH/NICHD grant HD43620