Child survival in children born to HIV-2 infected women in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.

We have retrospectively studied the effect of maternal HIV-2 infection and other risk factors on child survival at a family planning centre in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. A total of 2109 women were included, and the seroprevalence of HIV-2 was 5.7%. Overall child mortality of all live births (n=5912) reported by the women (standardized for age of the mother) was slightly higher among children of HIV-2 seropositive mothers (16.3%) compared with children of HIV seronegative women (14.6%) (not significant). There was a significant association between low level of maternal education and increased child mortality, but no difference in the level of education was found between HIV-2 seropositive and seronegative women.