Vaginal delivery in women with HIV in Italy: results of 5 years of implementation of the national SIGO-HIV protocol

PURPOSE: To evaluate the maternal and neonatal safety of vaginal delivery in women with HIV following the implementation of a national protocol in Italy. METHODS: Vaginal delivery was offered to all eligible women who presented antenatally at twelve participating clinical sites. Data collection and definition of outcomes followed the procedures of the National Program on Surveillance on Antiretroviral Treatment in Pregnancy. Pregnancy outcomes were compared according to the mode of delivery, classified as vaginal, elective cesarean (ECS) and non-elective cesarean section (NECS). RESULTS: Among 580 women who delivered between January 2012 and September 2017, 142 (24.5%) had a vaginal delivery, 323 (55.7%) had an ECS and 115 (19.8%) had an NECS. The proportion of vaginal deliveries increased significantly over time, from 18.9% in 2012 to 35.3% in 2017 (p