HIV Weekly - November 8th, 2005

A round-up of the latest HIV news, for people living with HIV in the UK and beyond.

Welcome to HIV Weekly, a new, weekly email bulletin that will provide people with, or affected by, HIV a concise, plain English digest of a selection of the very latest HIV news.

This new digest puts the latest HIV news stories into their context to equip you with the knowledge to understand what the latest research might mean for your HIV treatment and care.

Information on the latest NAM treatment information resources and those produced by other key organisations such as the UK Coalition and Terrence Higgins Trust are also included.

HIV Weekly is edited by Michael Carter, NAM’s patient information and news editor.

An HIV Weekly archive will be provided online.

Anti-HIV treatment

HIV and pregnancy

The HIV-negative babies of women who took anti-HIV drugs during pregnancy to prevent them passing on HIV to their babies are only marginally lighter and smaller than average, European researchers have found.

The small reduction in size and weight does not have any real significance to the overall development and health of the baby, the researchers believe. They also stress that the slight reduction in birth weight and size is more than compensated by the avoidance of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

The infants were monitored for 18 months. It is planned to continue to chart the development of these children so the longer-term consequences of anti-HIV drug use to prevent mother-to-child transmission can be better understood.