Effect of the Number of Pregnancies on Mortality Risk in HIV-Infected Women: a Prospective Cohort Study in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

We investigated whether mortality risk increases with the number of full-term pregnancies in HIV-infected women. Our study is based on data from the ACDIS cohort, collected in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Mortality risk for different number of pregnancies in HIV-infected women was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards model. The risk of TB or AIDS mortality in HIV-uninfected women did not change with the number of full-term pregnancies, while the corresponding risk increased markedly in HIV-infected women. The risk of TB or AIDS mortality increased 1.48-fold (95% CI 1.25–1.75), 1.76-fold (95% CI 1.45–2.13), and 1.59-fold (95% CI 1.31–1.94) for one, two, and three or more full-term pregnancies compared to none, respectively. Finally, women who are young (age < 26) have greater risk of TB or AIDS mortality compared to women who are old (age ≥ 26), and women residing in rural areas have greater risk compared to women who reside in non-rural areas.