The overall purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance on best clinical practice in the treatment and management of women living with HIV in the UK during pregnancy and postpartum, and their infants. The scope includes guidance on the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) both to prevent vertical transmission of HIV and for the welfare of the woman and her baby, guidance on mode of delivery and recommendations in specific patient populations where other factors need to be taken into consideration, such as co-infection with other agents.
The guidelines are aimed at clinical professionals directly involved with, and responsible for, the care of pregnant women living with HIV. The 2018 guidelines have identified significant developments that have either led to a change in recommendation or a change in the strength of recommendation. More detail has been added in areas of controversy, particularly breastfeeding. New data that simply support the existing data have not routinely been included in this revision. A new section on the postpartum management of women has been added. Of note, the term ‘HIV’ refers to HIV-1 throughout these guidelines, unless HIV-2 is specified.
The purpose of a further 2020 interim review is to update significant developments that would either lead to a change in recommendation or a change in the strength of recommendation. These changes and the supporting evidence are highlighted. Additional information has been provided in areas of controversy.
BHIVA statement on safety signal in infants born to mothers conceiving on dolutegravir
Patient breastfeeding information leaflet 1
Patient breastfeeding information leaflet 2
The comments received during the public consultation can be found below. All comments were reviewed and discussed and the guidelines amended where appropriate.
Download the comments received by the BHIVA Secretariat during the web consultation process
Download the declaration of interests from writing group members
Chair
Dr Yvonne Gilleece, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician in HIV and Genitourinary Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Vice-chair
Dr Shema Tariq, Postdoctoral Clinical Research Fellow, University College London, and Honorary Consultant Physician in HIV, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Writing group members
Dr Alasdair Bamford, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London
Dr Sanjay Bhagani, Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases, Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust, London
Dr Laura Byrne, Locum Consultant in HIV Medicine, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London
Dr Emily Clarke, Consultant in Genitourinary Medicine, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust
Ms Polly Clayden, UK Community Advisory Board representative/HIV treatment advocates network
Dr Hermione Lyall, Clinical Director for Children’s Services and Consultant Paediatrician in Infectious Diseases, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London
Dr Rebecca Metcalfe, Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV Medicine, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Dr Adrian Palfreeman, Consultant in Genitourinary Medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Dr Luciana Rubinstein, Consultant in Genitourinary Medicine, London North West Healthcare University NHS Trust, London
Ms Sonali Sonecha, Lead Directorate Pharmacist HIV/GUM, Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London
Dr Lisa Thorley, UK Community Advisory Board representative
Dr Pat Tookey, Honorary Senior Lecturer and Co-Investigator National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London
Ms Jennifer Tosswill, Clinical Scientist, Viral Reference Department, Public Health England, London
Mr David Utting, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Dr Steven Welch, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham
Ms Alison Wright, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Royal Free Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London
We aim to revise these guidelines by 2021. In the meantime, the writing group will confer at least annually to consider new information from high-quality studies and will issue revisions or updates should clinically important and relevant data become available.