From 1999 to 2002 HIV-

From 1999 to 2002 HIV-infected pregnant women were recruited from antenatal clinics in Nairobi, Kenya and followed with their infants for one year. HIV DNA testing was done at birth and then at one, three, six, nine and 12 months after birth. Women were encouraged to bring their male partners for HIV prevention counselling and testing.

Out of a total of 510 HIV-infected women enrolled, a total of 10% (54) were lost to follow-up before delivery (27) or did not report a current male partner relationship (27).

Of the remaining 456 female participants, 140 (31%) were accompanied by their male partners to the antenatal clinic.

Of the 140 male partners, 75 (54%) were tested for HIV in the antenatal clinic; 42 (56%) tested positive.

Among 441 infants tested, 19% (82) were HIV-infected by one year of age.

Taking maternal viral load into account HIV-infection risk was over 40% lower in infants born to women accompanied by their male partners compared to those unaccompanied (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=0.56; 95% CI: 0.33-0.98; P=0.042).

The same held true with reported prior partner HIV testing compared to no report of previous partner testing (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=0.52; 95% CI: 0.32-0.84; P=0.008).

Adjusting for maternal viral load and breastfeeding, the combined risk for vertical transmission or infant death was significantly lower with antenatal partner attendance than without (aHR=0.55; 95%CI: 0.35-0.88; P=0.012) as well as with reporting of previous partner testing than without (aHR=0.58; 95% CI: 0.34-0.88; P=0.01).