Determinants and prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant Peruvian women

Abstract

To determine age-specific seroprevalence, risk factors, and risk markers for heterosexually-acquired HIV infection among pregnant women. Standardized interviews, serologic tests for HIV and syphilis, bivariate and multivariate analysis. HIV seropositivity was confirmed in 58 women (0.5%). Only 22.6% were married, and only 12% of HIV infected women reported >2 sexpartners ever. In multivariate analyses HIV infection was associated with: short duration of current relationship; two risk behaviors of women themselves (early onset of sexual activity and number of past sexual relationships); women’s perceptions of two risk behaviors of partners (partner is a ‘womanizer,’ and partner uses illegal drugs); inadequate prenatal care; and four additional risk factors or markers (history of sexually trans- mitted disease, tuberculosis, or abortion in the women; and diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in a partner).