New research suggests that a woman’s risk of acquiring HIV through sex with a male partner infected with HIV increases during pregnancy and is highest during the postpartum period.

Renee Heffron, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, University of Washington, whom presented study results at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston, Massachusetts, concluded that findings suggest biological changes occurring during and after pregnancy may increase a woman’s HIV risk.

“Our findings suggest that biological changes during pregnancy and postpartum may increase HIV risk,” Heffron said in a press conference at CROI. “This finding has a number of important public health implications. We have tremendous opportunities in antenatal and postnatal care, to promote HIV prevention and care.”

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