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This study explores the cognitive development of children born to adolescent mothers within South Africa compared to existing reference data, and explores development by child age bands to examine relative levels of development. Cross-sectional analyses present data from 954 adolescents (10-19 years) and their first-born children (0-68 months). All adolescents completed questionnaires relating to themselves and their children, and standardized child cognitive assessments (Mullen Scales of Early Learning) were undertaken. Cognitive development scores of the sample were lower than USA reference population scores and relative performance compared to the reference population was found to decline with increasing child age. When compared to children born to adult mothers in the sub-Saharan African region, children born to adolescent mothers (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] unexposed; n = 724) were found to have lower cognitive development scores. Findings identify critical periods of development where intervention may be required to bolster outcomes for children born to adolescent mothers.

: Introduction: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living with HIV experience poor HIV outcomes and high rates of unintended pregnancy. Little is known about which healthcare provisions can optimize their HIV‐related outcomes, particularly among AGYW mothers. Methods: Eligible 12‐ to 24‐year‐old AGYW living with HIV from 61 health facilities in a South African district completed a survey in 2018–2019 (90% recruited). Analysing surveys and medical records from n = 774 participants, we investigated associations of multiple HIV‐related outcomes (past‐week adherence, consistent clinic attendance, uninterrupted treatment, no tuberculosis [TB] and viral suppression) with seven healthcare provisions: no antiretroviral therapy (ART) stockouts, kind and respectful providers, support groups, short travel time, short waiting time, confidentiality, and safe and affordable facilities. Further, we compared HIV‐related outcomes and healthcare provisions between mothers (n = 336) and nulliparous participants (n = 438). Analyses used multivariable regression models, accounting for multiple outcomes. Results: HIV‐related outcomes were poor, especially among mothers. In multivariable analyses, two healthcare provisions were “accelerators,” associated with multiple improved outcomes, with similar results among mothers. Safe and affordable facilities, and kind and respectful staff were associated with higher predicted probabilities of HIV‐related outcomes (p Conclusions: Accessible and adolescent‐responsive healthcare is critical to improving HIV‐related outcomes, reducing morbidity, mortality and onward HIV transmission among AGYW. Combining these provisions can maximize benefits, especially for AGYW mothers., INTRODUCTION Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15–24 represented nearly one‐quarter of new HIV infections in 2022 in sub‐Saharan Africa [1]. In parallel, AGYW living with HIV in sub‐Saharan [...]

Introduction: Many prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programmes across Africa initiate HIV-infected (HIV positive) pregnant women on lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the first day of antenatal care ('same-day' initiation). However, there are concerns that same-day initiation may limit patient preparation before starting ART and contribute to subsequent non-adherence, disengagement from care and raised viral load. We examined if same-day initiation was associated with viral suppression and engagement in care during pregnancy. Methods: Consecutive ART-eligible pregnant women making their first antenatal care (ANC) visit at a primary care facility in Cape Town, South Africa were enrolled into a prospective cohort between March 2013 and June 2014. Before July 2013, ART eligibility was based on CD4 cell count [less than or equal to]350 cells/[micro]L ('Option A'), with a 1 to 2 week delay from the first ANC visit to ART initiation for patient preparation; thereafter all women were eligible regardless of CD4 cell count ('Option B+') and offered ART on the same day as first ANC visit. Women were followed with viral load testing conducted separately from routine ART services, and engagement in ART services was measured using routinely collected clinic, pharmacy and laboratory records through 12 months postpartum. Results: Among 628 HIV-positive women (median age, 28 years; median gestation at ART start, 21 weeks; 55% newly diagnosed with HIV), 73% initiated ART same-day; this proportion was higher under Option B+ versus Option A (85% vs. 20%). Levels of viral suppression (viral load Conclusions: These data suggest that same-day ART initiation during pregnancy is not associated with lower levels of engagement in care or viral suppression through 12 months post-delivery in this setting, providing reassurance to ART programmes implementing Option B+. Keywords: viral suppression; antiretroviral initiation; Option B+; pregnancy; patient preparation; patient counselling; Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT); retention, 1 | INTRODUCTION Use of triple-drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) by suppressing maternal viral load (VL) during pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding [1-3]. Each additional [...]

: Introduction: There is a growing interest in adolescent motherhood and HIV among policymakers and programme implementers. To better shape services and health outcomes, we need evidence on reproductive aspirations and contraception use in this high‐risk group, including the effect of motherhood and HIV status. We report data from a large survey of adolescent girls and young women conducted in a mixed rural‐urban district in South Africa. Methods: Quantitative interviews were conducted with 1712 adolescent girls and young women (ages 10 to 24): 336 adolescent mothers living with HIV (AMLHIV), 454 nulliparous adolescent girls living with HIV (ALHIV), 744 HIV‐negative adolescent mothers (control adolescent mothers) and 178 HIV‐negative nulliparous adolescent girls (nulliparous controls) in 2018 to 2019. Standardized questionnaires included socio‐demographic measures, reproductive health and contraception experiences. Reproductive aspirations were measured as the number of children participants wanted to have. Dual protection was computed as use of both hormonal and barrier contraception or abstinence. Multivariate logistic regression and marginal effects models in STATA 15 were used to test associations between HIV status, adolescent motherhood and outcomes of reproductive aspirations, contraception use and dual protection, controlling for covariates. Results and discussion: Nearly 95% of first pregnancies were unintended. Over two‐thirds of all participants wanted two or more children. Hormonal contraception, condom use and dual protection were low across all groups. In multivariate regression modelling, ALHIV were less likely to report hormonal contraception use (aOR 0.55 95% CI 0.43 to 0.70 p ≤ 0.001). In marginal effects modelling, adolescent mothers – independent of HIV status – were least likely to report condom use at last sex. Despite higher probabilities of using hormonal contraception, rates of dual protection were low: 17.1% among control adolescent mothers and 12.4% among AMLHIV. Adolescent mothers had the highest probabilities of not using any contraceptive method: 29.0% among control mothers and 23.5% among AMLHIV. Conclusions: Among adolescent girls and young women in HIV‐endemic communities, reproductive aspirations and contraceptive practices affect HIV risk and infection. Tailored adolescent‐responsive health services could help young women plan their pregnancies for when they are healthy and well‐supported, and help interrupt the cycle of HIV transmission by supporting them to practice dual protection., INTRODUCTION More than 50% of all births in sub‐Saharan Africa are to 15‐to‐19‐year‐old women [1]. By 2030, there will be nearly 1.5 million adolescent and young mothers living with HIV [...]

Early motherhood can negatively impact health, educational, and socio-economic outcomes for adolescent mothers and their children. Supporting adolescent mothers' educational attainment, and timely return to school, may be key to interrupting intergenerational cycles of adversity. Yet, there remains a paucity of evidence on the factors that are associated with mothers' postpartum return to school and the mediators of this process, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa where adolescent pregnancy rates remain high. This paper is based on interviews with 1,046 adolescent mothers from South Africa. Mothers who had returned to school after birth showed lower poverty, fewer repeated grades preceding the pregnancy, continued schooling during pregnancy, higher daycare/crèche use, more family childcare support, and lower engagement in exclusive breastfeeding within six months postpartum. Mediation analyses showed that lower poverty was directly associated with school return and via two indirect pathways: continued schooling during pregnancy and using daycare/crèche services. This study demonstrates that lacking childcare constitutes a major hurdle to mothers' school return which needs to be addressed in addition to socioeconomic and individual-level barriers. Policy makers and practitioners should consider supporting young mothers with combination interventions which include services supporting school retention during pregnancy and access to, and financial supplements for, daycare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying risk and protective factors for adolescent antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is a public health priority, given high HIV-related mortality in this population. An area that merits further investigation is the relationship between bullying victimization, mental health problems, and ART nonadherence among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). However, no known studies assess effects of bullying on adolescent nonadherence or risk and protective factors that could moderate this relationship., Setting: This study investigates (1) the direct longitudinal relationship between bullying exposure and ART nonadherence, and the indirect relationship via psychological distress, and (2) potential risk and modifiable protective factors moderating these pathways, among vertically and horizontally infected ALHIV who initiated treatment across 53 public health care facilities in a South African health district., Methods: Survey data were collected at 2 time points, between 2014 and 2017, with 1046 ALHIV (94% retention). Various mediation and moderated mediation models were run as part of a staged analysis approach., Results: A significant longitudinal relationship was found between bullying victimization and nonadherence, operating indirectly through psychological distress [B = 0.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.03 to 0.13)]. Moderation analyses indicated that older adolescents exposed to bullying are more at risk of nonadherence [B = 0.52; 95% CI: (0.07 to 0.97) P < 0.05], and parental monitoring is a potential protective factor buffering indirect effects of bullying on nonadherence [B = -0.22; 95% CI: (-0.42 to -0.02) P < 0.05]., Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of interventions that address bullying and psychological distress, and strengthen parental monitoring, particularly among older ALHIV., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, yet RTI testing remains limited in resource-constrained settings. We assessed performance of an existing RTI risk assessment screening tool among women living with HIV (WLHIV) considering intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) use., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among WLHIV screened for participation in an IUC trial in Cape Town, South Africa (NCT01721798). RTI testing included Neisseria gonorrhoeae , Chlamydia trachomatis , Trichomonas vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis. Tool scoring was based on five separately scored criteria: (1) age under 25 years, (2) cohabitation with a partner, (3) secondary education, (4) self-reported intermenstrual bleeding and (5) number of current sexual partners and condom use frequency (score 0-5). We assessed tool performance in detecting RTI at 0 vs 1-5, 0-1 vs 2-5 and 0-2 vs 3-5 score thresholds., Results: Of 303 women, 52% (n=157) reported antiretroviral therapy use and median age was 31 years. The prevalence of any RTI was 38% (gonorrhoea=7%, chlamydia=11%, trichomoniasis=12% and bacterial vaginosis=18%) and 8% of women had multiple RTIs. Overall, 4%, 27% and 69% of women had screening tool scores of 0, 1 or 2+, respectively. At a threshold of at least one scored criterion, the tool demonstrated high sensitivities (95%-97%) but low specificities (3%-4%) for detecting any RTI. Increasing the score threshold and/or inclusion of abnormal vaginal discharge marginally improved specificity., Conclusion: The prevalence of RTIs observed in this population was high, and the screening tool had no discriminatory power to detect prevalent RTIs., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)