Birth outcomes following zidovudine therapy in pregnant women.

Approximately 100,000 childbearing-aged women in the United States are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and an estimated 7000 infants are born to HIV-positive mothers each year. In the United States, the rate of perinatal transmission of HIV among mothers who do not receive antiretroviral therapy is 15%-30%. Results from a recent multicenter randomized double-blind clinical trial suggest that treatment of HIV-positive mothers and their infants with zidovudine (ZDV) may substantially reduce the risk for perinatal HIV transmission. However, any potential risk for adverse outcomes associated with use of antiretrovirals during pregnancy should be considered. This report summarizes data from the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry regarding use of ZDV and the occurrence of structural birth defects reported for pregnancies registered during January 1989-December 1993.