Prevalence of preeclampsia among human immunodeficiency virus-positive pregnant women as compared to human immunodeficiency virus-negative women in Ibadan

Abstract

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a common complication of pregnancy and a major cause of maternal morbidity. Pathogenetic explanations for preeclampsia include: Maladaptation of the immune system to paternal antigens and exaggerated maternal inflammatory response to trophoblastic tissue. Immune deficiency, induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or any other cause, could, therefore, inhibit a tendency to immune hyper-reactivity and thus theoretically prevent the development of preeclampsia. The study aims to explore the role of the immune theory of preeclampsia by comparing the prevalence of preeclampsia among HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey of pregnant women, beyond 28 weeks gestation, who delivered at the University College Hospital, Ibadan between 1st October 2011 and 31st December 2011. Data was collected using a prespecified proforma. The analysis was performed using SPSS version 17.0 and P value was set at <0.05. Results: A total of 766 women who gave birth during the study met the inclusion criteria. Among the cohort, HIV prevalence rate was 7.2% whereas preeclampsia was 10.7%. None of the HIV-positive women had preeclampsia. Conclusion: This study suggested that the prevalence and perhaps, risk of developing preeclampsia is reduced among HIV positive women. This is similar to other studies done in various countries in the world. There is a need for further study as it may prove valuable in the management and prevention of preeclampsia.