The relationship between antenatal azidothymidine and birth weight

OBJECTIVE: The hypothesis is that maternal a/idothvmidine (AXT) use is associated with an increase in small-for-gestational age infants. STUDY DESIGN: A studv was undertaken of lf>3 human immunodencienc\ virus (HIY)-seroposltive women pregnant between 1988 and 199. All won en ueie identified as HlY-seropositi\e during pregnano and delivei'ed at our institution. Exclusion criteria were medical complications affecting birth weight, multiple gestation and preterm birth (gestational age 37 weeks). There remained available lor analysis 33 women (cases) who took A/I' prenatalK and SO controls who did not. Maiernal \ariables analv/ed were age. parih. gesiational age at entrv into care, ethnicity, smoking, substance abuse, weiglu gain and CD-1 count. Statistical analysis was performed using students t-tests and ana K sis of variance. Using (α - 0.05) and β= 0.80. a difference of 300 grams would be detectable. RESULTS: There uas no significant difference found between the mean birth weight of infants whose mothers took A/T at 3200 grams and the control group at 3085 grams (p = 0.30). There were no significant differences between cases and controls for median gesiational age at delivery {39 weeks both groups), median maternal age 25 vs 28 yrs). median parity (1 vs 2), median gestational age at entn into prenatal caic (19 vs 16 weeks), median maternal weight gain (23 vs 22 Ibs), and median C.D4 co mt (395 vs 447/mnr ³). The prevalence of substance abuse was significant K lower among cases vs controls ( 16% vs 53%, respectivey) (p < 0.001) as uas the prevalence ol tobacco use (39% vs 60%, respeetixelv) (<0.05) Two women in the case group had acquired immune defieiency syndrorr e versus none in the control gtoup. CONCLUSIONS: Women who are HIY-seropositive and receive A/T amenât;.llv do not have a higher incidence' of sniall-ior-gestational age infants rompared to HIV-seiopositive worm-n wlio do not receive this anti-reti oviral therapy.