Recent research indicates that children whose mothers took antiretroviral medication (HIV Meds) to prevent HIV transmission during pregnancy may be at greater risk of developmental delays at age 5. The Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study conducted the research, with experts from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health among its authors. Despite this discovery, the researchers emphasized that taking antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy is still crucial to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child.
The study suggests that children whose mothers took antiretrovirals (HIV meds) during pregnancy require careful monitoring of their neurodevelopment. Moreover, experts should examine more strictly when a fetus first receives antiretrovirals in the womb. The risk of developmental delays was found to be higher in children whose mothers’ regimens contained the drug atazanavir compared to those who did not receive it.
Antiretroviral therapy has been successful in preventing HIV transmission to babies, with over 15.4 million children under 15 avoiding HIV due to these drugs. However, previous research has indicated that these drugs may also increase the likelihood of language and cognitive skill delays and behavioral challenges.
Study on HIV meds and potential effects on children’s development
- Examined antiretroviral therapy’s impact on cognition, language, and emotional-behavioral development in 5-year-olds
- Compared effects of regimens with and without atazanavir
- Investigated differences between children of mothers receiving antiretroviral therapy before and during pregnancy
Impact of HIV Meds on Child Development: Study Results
- 15% of the 230 children born to mothers receiving treatment during pregnancy had lower scores in one developmental area
- 8% of the 230 children born to mothers receiving treatment during pregnancy had challenges in at least two areas
- 21% of the 461 children whose mothers began therapy during pregnancy had a delay in one developmental area
- 12% of the 461 children whose mothers began therapy during pregnancy had delays in at least two areas
- Children whose mothers’ regimens included atazanavir had a 70% higher risk of developmental delay compared to those without it.
The authors of the study have acknowledged that it can be difficult to determine whether the medications caused the delays or if they were a result of other factors such as poor parental health, substance use, or insufficient oxygen and nutrition. However, they have stressed the need for further research into the long-term effects of antiretroviral therapy on child development.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and published in AIDS Patient Care and STDS. While the findings may be concerning for some parents, it is important to note that antiretroviral therapy remains an essential tool in preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child. Women with HIV who are planning to become pregnant or are already pregnant should speak to their healthcare providers about the best course of treatment for them and their children.
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