Infertile Women in Developing Countries at Potentially High Risk of HIV Transmission

Abstract

One hundred infertile women and 200 proven fertile women were recruited in Montepuez District, northern Mozambique, in order to elucidate the risk of syphilis and HIV seropositivity. TPHA seropositivity occurred in 55.0 per cent of infertile and 18.5 per cent of fertile women (OR 4.7; 95% CI 3.0-7.4). Among women with 2 lifetime spouses, 64.6 per cent of infertile women were TPHA seropositive, compared to 22.3 per cent of fertile women (OR 7.1; 95% CI 3.6-14.1). Three women (all infertile had HIV-1 antibodies and one, fertile, had HIV-2 antibodies. It concluded that infertile women constitute a group at potentially high risk of HIV infection once this infection is introduced into the community.

(Afr J Reprod Health 1999; 3 (1): 98 - 102)

Key Words: Infertility, syphilis, HIV infection