Pregnancy Outcomes After HIV Diagnosis in Women Living With HIV in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: A Brief Report

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 Feb 1;45(2):e47-e49. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004989. Epub 2025 Sep 10.

Abstract

The study analyzed pregnancy outcomes among 498 women living with HIV in East Asia. We found 15% had pregnancies postdiagnosis, with 57% resulting in live births. Older age at antiretroviral therapy initiation and higher pre-antiretroviral therapy viral loads were negatively associated with pregnancy. High rates of unplanned pregnancies (61%) and terminations (26%) highlight the need for improved reproductive counseling.

Keywords: antiretroviral therapy; cesarean section; infants; pregnancy; women living with HIV.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • HIV Infections* / complications
  • HIV Infections* / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections* / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections* / epidemiology
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / drug therapy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / virology
  • Pregnancy Outcome* / epidemiology
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • Viral Load
  • Young Adult