Since 1990, the global number of maternal deaths has declined by almost half to 287,000 per year. Increased access to family planning and improved maternity care, including emergency care when needed, have played a significant part in this reduction. At the same time, the number of people dying from AIDS-related deaths has been declining since the 2000s because of access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ARVs) and a decline in HIV prevalence. Nonetheless, these positive trends are masking a troubling reality for many women in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to new estimates, HIV-positive pregnant women had 8 times the risk of death during pregnancy than HIV-negative pregnant women.
It’s a sobering statistic, and it calls both the HIV and maternal health communities to joint action. But what can be done? How can we improve HIV and maternal health programs to save the lives of these women? Unfortunately, the answer is unsatisfying. We just don’t know the solution…yet. Certainly the provision of ARVs to HIV-positive pregnant women for her health and the health of her child is a vital piece of the puzzle. Many countries are shifting their strategies to reach these women by providing lifelong treatment for pregnant women living with HIV. However, ARVs are probably not the entire answer as HIV-positive pregnant women also have an increased risk for complications relating to other co-infections like tuberculosis, sepsis, and pneumonia. Questions remain, and more research on the nexus of HIV and pregnancy is necessary.
In an effort to move the HIV and maternal health communities to action, USAID, CDC, and the Maternal Health Task Force convened a meeting in early June on “Maternal Health, HIV and AIDS: Examining Research through a Programmatic Lens.” We brought together technical experts from around the world who have been investigating the intersection of HIV and maternal health. We were electrified by the dynamic group and the data presented on topics ranging from causes of maternal deaths, stigma and discrimination in health services, and tough considerations around Option B+. A smaller group committed to develop a formal research agenda to outline the priority questions that remain.
This meeting was just the beginning of the dialogue, and we’d like to invite you to participate in the conversation and add to the evidence base as we move forward. The full content of the meeting is available online at the Maternal Health Task Force’s website. We continue to seek the latest resources, research findings, and publications from around the world on this topic. To read more on the subject, find relevant news and publications, and suggest additional resources, see here. Finally, watch for more news from USAID as we continue these important discussions and learn more from sub-Saharan African countries that are tackling this issue.