Specific features of pregnancy and delivery in HIV-infected women

HIV-infected women have a higher risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery (chronic placental insufficiency, anemia, placental abruption, preterm birth) compared with HIV-negative women, especially in case of opportunistic infections, immunodeficiency and a high viral load in the blood. The obstetrical pathologies are hard to study in these women because the above conditions are associated with a range of confounding factors that are not directly related to HIV infection but are often present, such as drug addiction, weight deficit, and chronic viral hepatitis coinfection. The literature review provides data from domestic and international studies on the correlation between HIV infection and the frequency of complications during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period, as well as the effect of the infection on the condition of newborns. The article cites current recommendations on the choice of delivery types for HIV-infected women.