Times Live Blog: Promising results in blocking HIV during first days of infection: M2010
HIV-infected pregnant woman doubles infection risk for men
Written by Natural Health Team (25 May 2010): HIV-infected pregnant woman doubles infection risk for men. BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Risk doubles for a man whose HIV-infected female partner is pregnant, a study conducted on more than 3,300 African couples showed.
A joint research launched by the University of Nairobi and the
Kenyatta National Hospital studied 1,085 couples with the male having
HIV, and 2,236 couples in which the female was infected. The research
lasted for two years.
It is generally acknowledged that pregnancy increases risk of both
males and females. However, other factors besides pregnancy induce
female HIV infection, for examples, sexual behaviors, according to the
study.
The link between pregnancy and female-to-male transmission is more
direct, researchers of the study contend.
As for the possible reason for this, researchers say further study is
required to determine whether or not there is an epidemiological reason
for the male-female discrepancy.
The study was presented in Pittsburgh at the 2010 International
Microbicides Conference on Monday.
news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-05/25/c_13313803.htm