Discordant HIV infection among married Indian couples

Aim: The aim was to determine the incidence of discordant HIV infection in pregnant women and their husbands in late 1990s. Study Design: Retrospective analysis. Settings: Pediatric and perinatal HIV clinic from 1993 to 2000. Materials and Methods: All husbands of 729 HIV-infected pregnant women were tested for HIV. A husband was determined to be HIV negative if he had a negative HIV ELISA test at baseline and also 6 months later. Incidence of discordant couples was determined and analyzed to see whether there was an increasing trend of discordance over a period of years. Results: Forty-nine husbands (6.7%) were HIV negative. The probable causes of HIV in the lady were unknown in 38 couples (78%), through blood transfusion in 8 women (16%) and artificial insemination, surgery and 2 nd marriage in one woman each (2%). Incidence of discordance among the couples did not show an increasing trend (P = 0.34). Conclusion: Incidence of discordance among couples with HIV positive women and HIV negative husband did not show an increasing trend over a period of years, which may indirectly reflect the extra-marital situation