New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) A daily dose of a commonly used, safe, and inexpensive antibiotic may help reduce preterm births (born at 37 weeks’ gestation or before), in women with HIV, according to a study of almost 1,000 pregnant women in Zimbabwe.
An international group of researchers, from the UK and Zimbabwe, found that women living with HIV who took the antibiotic trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole during their pregnancy had larger babies who were less likely to be preterm.
Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent with anti-inflammatory properties that are widely used in sub-Saharan Africa.
The study showed that for babies born to a small group of 131 women with HIV, the reduction in premature births was especially marked, with only 2 per cent of births in the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group preterm, as compared with 14 per cent in the placebo group.
“Our findings suggest that a low-cost, daily antibiotic, in a setting where infections like HIV are common, might reduce the risk of preterm births. We desperately need new strategies to prevent preterm births, which are the leading cause of under-5 child mortality,” said Andrew Prendergast, Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunology at Queen Mary University of London.
“If we can confirm in other trials that trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole reduces the risk of babies being born too soon, it would be a promising new approach to help newborns survive and thrive,” he added.
One in four live-born infants worldwide is preterm, is small for gestational age, or has a low birth weight.
The mortality rate for these small and vulnerable newborns is high, with prematurity now the leading cause of death among children younger than 5 years of age.
Maternal infections and inflammation during pregnancy are linked to adverse birth outcomes, particularly for babies born to mothers living with HIV, who have a greater risk of being born too small or too soon.
The randomised controlled trial included 993 pregnant women from three antenatal clinics in central Zimbabwe, and gave them either 960 mg of the drug or a placebo daily.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that although birth weight did not differ significantly between the two groups, the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group showed a 40 per cent reduction in the proportion of preterm births, compared to the placebo group.
Overall, 6.9 per cent of mothers receiving the drug had babies born preterm, compared to 11.5 per cent of mothers receiving the placebo, and no women receiving antibiotics had babies born before 28 weeks.
–IANS
rvt/
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
