Prevalence of HIV/AIDS among pregnant women in North American region: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) 2024-11, Vol.103 (44), p.e40339
• Main Authors: Shabbir, Nosheena Akhter, Kant, Sara Bashir, Rashid, Kainat, Hafeez, Uzma, Akbar, Aiza Ali, Batool, Syeda Wajiha, Pranto, Alif Hasan, Zaman, Jemema, Shahriyer Tonmoy, Hasan, Islam, Md Rashedul, Meem, M M Rubaiyat Muntasir, Islam, Dewan Zubaer, Suez, Ehsan, Khandker, Shahad Saif, Akbar, Amna, Khattak, Muhammad Iftikhar, Ali, Amir Iqbal, Jadoon, Sarosh Khan, Shakeel, Attarab, Zubair, Maryam, Alvi, Sarosh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology; Canada - epidemiology; Female; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Humans; Mexico - epidemiology; North America - epidemiology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology; Prevalence; Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1536-5964; 0025-7974; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000040339

As a major maternal health concern, the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among pregnant women was previously investigated in European, African, and Latin American regions other than the North American region. This study analyzed the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women in the North American region including 3 major countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Relevant studies were screened from 3 online databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect using specific search keywords. Ultimately, 10 studies of the North American region were included with a total of 339,831 pregnant women residing in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The overall pooled prevalence was 0.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4-0.8) with a high degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 97%). Pooled prevalence rates of HIV among pregnant women in Canada, Mexico, and the USA were 0.3% (95% CI: 0.1-0.5), 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-0.8), and 2.3% (95% CI: 0.0-5.7), respectively with high degrees of heterogeneity. The overall prevalence rate of HIV among pregnant women in the USA, Canada, and Mexico was minimal as compared with the countries of Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, or Latin America. Awareness, adequate testing and healthcare facilities, better socioeconomic, and geopolitical conditions might be crucial to lowering the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women.