HIV-Positive Women Taking Lifelong Antiretroviral Therapy Report Better Adherence Than Women Taking Short-Course Prophylaxis During and After Pregnancy Under PMTCT Program Option A in Lusaka, Zambia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: HIV-positive women’s adherence to antiretrovirals is critical for prevention of mother-to-child transmission. We aimed to establish if mothers taking triple lifelong antiretroviral therapy report higher adherence compared to mothers taking short-course prophylaxis under Option A in Lusaka, Zambia. METHODS: In this clinic-based cross-sectional study, we interviewed 320 HIV-positive mothers at a large public health facility in Lusaka in 2014. Participants reported adherence using a visual analog scale. Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the adjusted odds of adherence by mother’s prescribed regimen. RESULTS: Women taking lifelong triple antiretroviral therapy report higher adjusted odds of adherence during pregnancy, postpartum, and to giving the infant prophylaxis compared to women to women taking short-course prophylaxis. DISCUSSION: Women on lifelong therapy may have better adherence compared to women on short course prophylaxis because they knew their positive status for longer or were symptomatic with HIV-related disease. The lifelong therapy regimen may be easier for women to follow, particularly because they are required to give the infant prophylaxis for a shorter duration of time. CONCLUSIONS AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: Our results indicate that lifelong triple antiretroviral therapy has the potential to promote better drug adherence during and after pregnancy among women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to short-course antiretroviral regimens.