Nutrition and HIV/AIDS: A Training Manual - Linkages Project

adolescent mother, growth and development of the fetus, and fulfillment of theincreased demands on the body by HIV infection.The HIV-infected pregnant or lactating adolescent is at high risk of malnutrition andshould be closely monitored. Improving nutrition prior to pregnancy should be themain goal to minimize the impact of HIV on nutrition. This is a challenge becausemany women and adolescent girls do not know they are HIV infected until thedisease is advanced or until they choose to be tested for HIV at the antenatal clinic.Early nutrition interventions can minimize the impact of HIV on the mothers’nutritional status and health.Nutritional requirements of HIV–infected pregnant or lactating woman(slide 16)Much is known about the increased nutritional requirements of HIV-positive womenwho are pregnant or lactating, but the exact amounts of nutrients needed in case ofsecondary infections is still to be determined.What is known (slide 17)During pregnancy and lactation the requirements for energy, protein, and variousmicronutrients increase to meet the demands for adequate gestational weight gain,growth and development of the fetus, and milk production. HIV infection causesexcess nutrient loss and malabsorption, further increasing the nutritionalrequirements of HIV-infected pregnant or lactating women. The requirements maybe higher if the HIV-infected pregnant woman is suffering from secondary infections.These requirements are in addition to those needed to support a normal and healthypregnancy and lactation. As a result, the HIV-infected pregnant or lactating womanis at greater nutritional risk than the non-HIV-infected woman (table 1). The HIVinfectedpregnant or lactating woman or adolescent girl requires additional food as aresult of the combined needs to meet the extra demands for nutrients duringpregnancy and lactation and the demands HIV infection imposes on the body.What is not known (slide 18)Because studies have not demonstrated that increased protein intake by PLWHAleads to positive clinical outcomes, there is no current recommendation for HIV-131