World AIDS Day: 10 Key Papers on HIV/AIDS and Maternal Health

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

According to data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, in 2015, HIV/AIDS was the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age around the world. While estimates differ depending on the particular global context, a 2013 review concluded that approximately 5% of pregnancy-related deaths worldwide and 25% of pregnancy-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa are attributable to HIV. Women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are at 6-8 times greater risk of dying during pregnancy or postpartum than their HIV-negative peers.

To mark World AIDS Day on December 1st, we compiled a list of 10 key papers related to HIV/AIDS and maternal health.

Prevalence and epidemiology

The contribution of HIV to pregnancy-related mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis
AIDS | June 2013

Estimates of global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and mortality of HIV, 1980–2015: The Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
The Lancet | August 2016

HIV and the risk of direct obstetric complications: A systematic review and meta-analysis
PLOS One | October 2013

Systematic review of the proportion of pregnancy-related deaths attributed to HIV in population-based studies in sub-Saharan Africa
Tropical Medicine & International Health | January 2014

Barriers to prevention and treatment

A systematic review of individual and contextual factors affecting ART initiation, adherence, and retention for HIV-infected pregnant and postpartum women
PLOS One | November 2014

HIV-related stigma as a barrier to achievement of global PMTCT and maternal health goals: A review of the evidence
AIDS and Behavior | September 2013

Barriers and facilitating factors to the uptake of antiretroviral drugs for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Journal of the International AIDS Society | July 2013

Programs and interventions

Community innovation: Achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls through the HIV response
UNAIDS | 2011

Interventions to prevent sexually-transmitted infections, including HIV, among young people in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of the published and gray literature
Journal of Adolescent Health | September 2016

Health systems integration of sexual and reproductive health and HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping study
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes | December 2014

Learn more about HIV/AIDS and maternal health.

Check out the MHTF blog series Maternal Health, HIV & AIDS.