Hybrid Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 During Pregnancy Provides More Durable Infant Antibody Responses Compared to Natural Infection Alone.

BACKGROUND: Hybrid immunity (infection plus vaccination) may increase maternally derived SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses and durability versus infection alone. METHODS: Prospective cohort of pregnant participants with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (anti-nucleocapsid IgG, RT-PCR, or antigen positive) and their infants had blood collected in pregnancy, at delivery/birth, and postpartum tested for anti-spike (anti-S) IgG and neutralizing antibodies (neutAb). RESULTS: Among 107 participants at enrollment, 40% were unvaccinated and 60% were vaccinated (received ≥1 dose); 102 had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy (median, 19 weeks' gestation); 5 were diagnosed just prior to pregnancy (median, 8 weeks). At delivery, fewer unvaccinated participants (87% anti-S IgG+, 86% neutAb) and their infants (86% anti-S IgG+, 75% neutAb) had anti-S IgG+ or neutAb compared to vaccinated participants and their infants (100%, P ≤ .01 for all). By 3-6 months postpartum, 50% of infants of unvaccinated participants were anti-S IgG+ and 14% had neutAb, versus 100% among infants of vaccinated participants (all P < .01), with lower median antibody responses (anti-S IgG log10 1.95 vs 3.84 AU/mL, P < .01; neutAb log10 1:1.34 vs 1:3.20, P = .11). CONCLUSIONS: In pregnant people with prior SARS-CoV-2, vaccination before delivery provided more durable maternally derived antibody responses than infection alone in infants through 6 months.

Prevalence and Predictors of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Among HIV-Negative Pregnant Women in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections in pregnancy contribute to adverse perinatal outcomes. We identified predictors of CT and/or NG infection among pregnant Kenyan women. METHODS: Women without HIV were enrolled at 2 antenatal clinics in Western Kenya. Both CT and NG were assessed using endocervical samples for nucleic acid amplification tests. Poisson regression models were used to evaluate potential CT/NG risk factors. Classification and regression trees were generated to evaluate the joint effects of predictors. RESULTS: Overall, 1276 women had both CT and NG assessments. Women enrolled at a median of 26 weeks' gestation (interquartile range, 22-31 weeks), median age was 22 years (interquartile range, 19-27 years), and 78% were married. In total, 98 (7.7%) tested positive for CT/NG: 70 (5.5%) for CT and 32 (2.5%) for NG, 4 of whom (0.3%) had coinfections. Two-thirds (66%) of CT/NG cases were asymptomatic and would have been missed with only syndromic management. Risk factors of CT/NG included age <22 years, crowded living conditions, being unmarried, being in partnerships for <1 year, abnormal vaginal discharge, sexually transmitted infection history, and Trichomonas vaginalis diagnosis ( P < 0.1). Classification and regression tree analyses identified unmarried women <22 years in relationships for <1 year as 6.1 times more likely to have CT/NG compared with women without these characteristics (26% vs. 6%, adjusted prevalence ratio = 6.1, 95% confidence interval = 3.55-10.39, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Chlamydia trachomatis / Neisseria gonorrhoeae was frequently asymptomatic and common among young unmarried women in newer partnerships in this cohort. Integrating CT/NG testing into routine antenatal care may be beneficial, especially for young women in Kenya.

Demand creation for HIV testing services: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: HIV testing services (HTS) are the first steps in reaching the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals to achieve and maintain low HIV incidence. Evaluating the effectiveness of different demand creation interventions to increase uptake of efficient and effective HTS is useful to prioritize limited programmatic resources. This review was undertaken to inform World Health Organization (WHO) 2019 HIV testing guidelines and assessed the research question, "Which demand creation strategies are effective for enhancing uptake of HTS?" focused on populations globally. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The following electronic databases were searched through September 28, 2021: PubMed, PsycInfo, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL Complete, Web of Science Core Collection, EMBASE, and Global Health Database; we searched IAS and AIDS conferences. We systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared any demand creation intervention (incentives, mobilization, counseling, tailoring, and digital interventions) to either a control or other demand creation intervention and reported HTS uptake. We pooled trials to evaluate categories of demand creation interventions using random-effects models for meta-analysis and assessed study quality with Cochrane's risk of bias 1 tool. This study was funded by the WHO and registered in Prospero with ID CRD42022296947. We screened 10,583 records and 507 conference abstracts, reviewed 952 full texts, and included 124 RCTs for data extraction. The majority of studies were from the African (N = 53) and Americas (N = 54) regions. We found that mobilization (relative risk [RR]: 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.30, 3.09], p < 0.05; risk difference [RD]: 0.29, 95% CI [0.16, 0.43], p < 0.05, N = 4 RCTs), couple-oriented counseling (RR: 1.98, 95% CI [1.02, 3.86], p < 0.05; RD: 0.12, 95% CI [0.03, 0.21], p < 0.05, N = 4 RCTs), peer-led interventions (RR: 1.57, 95% CI [1.15, 2.15], p < 0.05; RD: 0.18, 95% CI [0.06, 0.31], p < 0.05, N = 10 RCTs), motivation-oriented counseling (RR: 1.53, 95% CI [1.07, 2.20], p < 0.05; RD: 0.17, 95% CI [0.00, 0.34], p < 0.05, N = 4 RCTs), short message service (SMS) (RR: 1.53, 95% CI [1.09, 2.16], p < 0.05; RD: 0.11, 95% CI [0.03, 0.19], p < 0.05, N = 5 RCTs), and conditional fixed value incentives (RR: 1.52, 95% CI [1.21, 1.91], p < 0.05; RD: 0.15, 95% CI [0.07, 0.22], p < 0.05, N = 11 RCTs) all significantly and importantly (≥50% relative increase) increased HTS uptake and had medium risk of bias. Lottery-based incentives and audio-based interventions less importantly (25% to 49% increase) but not significantly increased HTS uptake (medium risk of bias). Personal invitation letters and personalized message content significantly but not importantly (<25% increase) increased HTS uptake (medium risk of bias). Reduced duration counseling had comparable performance to standard duration counseling (low risk of bias) and video-based interventions were comparable or better than in-person counseling (medium risk of bias). Heterogeneity of effect among pooled studies was high. This study was limited in that we restricted to randomized trials, which may be systematically less readily available for key populations; additionally, we compare only pooled estimates for interventions with multiple studies rather than single study estimates, and there was evidence of publication bias for several interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Mobilization, couple- and motivation-oriented counseling, peer-led interventions, conditional fixed value incentives, and SMS are high-impact demand creation interventions and should be prioritized for programmatic consideration. Reduced duration counseling and video-based interventions are an efficient and effective alternative to address staffing shortages. Investment in demand creation activities should prioritize those with undiagnosed HIV or ongoing HIV exposure. Selection of demand creation interventions must consider risks and benefits, context-specific factors, feasibility and sustainability, country ownership, and universal health coverage across disease areas.

Antenatal depressive symptoms in Kenyan women living with HIV: contributions of recent HIV diagnosis, stigma, and partner violence.

Depression among pregnant women living with HIV (WLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa leads to poor pregnancy and HIV outcomes. This cross-sectional analysis utilized enrollment data from a randomized trial (Mobile WAChX, NCT02400671) in six Kenyan public maternal and child health clinics. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), stigma with the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness, and intimate partner violence (IPV) with the Abuse Assessment Screen. Correlates of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms ("depression", PHQ-9 score ≥10) were assessed using generalized estimating equation models clustered by facility. Among 824 pregnant WLWH, 9% had depression; these women had more recent HIV diagnosis than those without depression (median 0.4 vs. 2.0 years since diagnosis, p = .008). Depression was associated with HIV-related stigma (adjusted Prevalence Ratio [aPR]:2.36, p = .025), IPV (aPR:2.93, p = .002), and lower social support score (aPR:0.99, p = .023). Using population-attributable risk percent to estimate contributors to maternal depression, 81% were attributable to stigma (27%), recent diagnosis (24%), and IPV (20%). Integrating depression screening and treatment in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programs may be beneficial, particularly in women recently diagnosed or reporting stigma and IPV.

Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Incident HIV Infection During Pregnancy Predict Preterm Birth Despite Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Identifying predictors of preterm birth (PTB) in high-burden regions is important as PTB is the leading cause of global child mortality. METHODS: This analysis was nested in a longitudinal study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence in Kenya. HIV-seronegative women enrolled in pregnancy had nucleic acid amplification tests (chlamydia and gonorrhea), rapid plasma reagin (syphilis), wet mount microscopy (Trichomonas and yeast), and Gram stain (bacterial vaginosis); sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment was provided. PTB predictors were determined using log-binomial regression. RESULTS: Among 1244 mothers of liveborn infants, median gestational age at enrollment was 26 weeks (IQR, 22-31), and at delivery was 39.1 weeks (IQR, 37.1-40.9). PTB occurred in 302 women (24.3%). Chlamydia was associated with a 1.59-fold (P = .006), gonorrhea a 1.62-fold (P = .04), and incident HIV a 2.08-fold (P = .02) increased PTB prevalence. Vaginal discharge and cervical inflammation were associated with PTB, as were age ≤21 (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.39, P = .001) and any STI (PR = 1.47, P = .001). Associations with chlamydia and incident HIV remained in multivariable models. CONCLUSIONS: STIs and incident HIV in pregnancy predicted PTB despite treatment, suggesting the need for earlier treatment and interventions to decrease genital inflammation.

Challenges of Discrepant HIV Tests in Pregnant Women in the PrEP era-to Treat or Not to Treat?

BACKGROUND: During HIV retesting in antenatal and preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care, discrepant results occur, but guidelines are lacking. METHODS: In a Kenyan trial implementing antenatal PrEP, if 1 test is reactive, a second is performed; if discrepant, both are repeated; if persistently discrepant, DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is performed. RESULTS: Among 4451 women, 23 265 HIV retesting sessions were performed; 14 (0.06%, 95% confidence interval, 0.03%-0.10%) had discrepant results among 10 individuals; in all 10 initial cases, PCR was negative. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepant rapid tests are an expected, rare, and important challenge for antenatal care HIV retesting, with and without PrEP. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT03070600.

SMS messaging to improve retention and viral suppression in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programs in Kenya: A 3-arm randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV (WLWH) need support for HIV and maternal child health (MCH) care, which could be provided using short message service (SMS). METHODS AND FINDINGS: We compared 2-way (interactive) and 1-way SMS messaging to no SMS in a 3-arm randomized trial in 6 MCH clinics in Kenya. Messages were developed using the Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory; HIV messages were integrated into an existing MCH SMS platform. Intervention participants received visit reminders and prespecified weekly SMS on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and MCH, tailored to their characteristics and timing. Two-way participants could message nurses as needed. Clinic attendance, viral load (VL), and infant HIV results were abstracted from program records. Primary outcomes were viral nonsuppression (VL ≥1,000 c/ml), on-time clinic attendance, loss to follow-up from clinical care, and infant HIV-free survival. Among 824 pregnant women randomized between November 2015 and May 2017, median age was 27 years, gestational age was 24.3 weeks, and time since initiation of ART was 1.0 year. During follow-up to 2 years postpartum, 9.8% of 3,150 VL assessments and 19.6% of women were ever nonsuppressed, with no significant difference in 1-way versus control (11.2% versus 9.6%, adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67 to 1.54], p = 0.94) or 2-way versus control (8.5% versus 9.6%, aRR 0.80 [95% CI 0.52 to 1.23], p = 0.31). Median ART adherence and incident ART resistance did not significantly differ by arm. Overall, 88.9% (95% CI 76.5 to 95.7) of visits were on time, with no significant differences between arms (88.2% in control versus 88.6% in 1-way and 88.8% in 2-way). Incidence of infant HIV or death was 3.01/100 person-years (py), with no significant difference between arms; risk of infant HIV infection was 0.94%. Time to postpartum contraception was significantly shorter in the 2-way arm than control. Study limitations include limited ability to detect improvement due to high viral suppression and visit attendance and imperfect synchronization of SMS reminders to clinic visits. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated HIV/MCH messaging did not improve HIV outcomes but was associated with improved initiation of postpartum contraception. In programs where most women are virally suppressed, targeted SMS informed by VL data may improve effectiveness. Rigorous evaluation remains important to optimize mobile health (mHealth) interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02400671.

Incorporating Method Dissatisfaction into Unmet Need for Contraception: Implications for Measurement and Impact.

While unmet need for contraception is commonly used to assess programmatic needs, it inadequately captures the complexity of fertility and contraceptive preferences, including women's satisfaction with their contraceptive method. In their 2019 commentary, Sarah Rominski and Rob Stephenson propose reclassifying dissatisfied current users as having an unmet need for contraception. As revising the current definition based on their proposal would require significant investment to update survey and monitoring systems, understanding the potential impact on current estimates of unmet need is critical. We estimated the impact of this approach in a Kenyan cohort of modern contraceptive users. We found the prevalence of method dissatisfaction ranges from 6.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.6-7.8%) to 18.9% (95% CI 17.1-20.9%); if applied nationally, this results in a large (approximately 25-70%) increase in Kenya's current estimate of unmet need for any contraception. Our findings suggest a large impact on unmet need estimates for equivalent populations. Overall, we advocate for better measurements of method satisfaction and acceptability, with metrics developed that are robust to socioeconomic gradients and validated in low- and middle-income settings to ensure women's contraceptive needs are captured equitably.

Zika Virus Circulates at Low Levels in Western and Coastal Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Zika virus (ZIKV) was discovered over 70 years ago in East Africa, but little is known about its circulation and pathogenesis there. METHODS: We screened 327 plasma samples collected 2-12 months after febrile illness in Western and coastal Kenya (1993-2016) for binding and neutralizing antibodies to distinguish ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) responses, which we found were common in coastal Kenya. RESULTS: Two cases had durable ZIKV-specific antibodies and 2 cases had ZIKV antibodies at similar levels as DENV antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: This suggests low-level ZIKV circulation in Kenya over 2 decades and sets a baseline for future surveillance efforts in East Africa.

Associations between vaginal bacteria implicated in HIV acquisition risk and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines.

OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have identified vaginal bacterial taxa associated with increased HIV risk. A possible mechanism to explain these results is that individual taxa differentially promote cervicovaginal inflammation. This study aimed to explore relationships between concentrations of bacteria previously linked to HIV acquisition and vaginal concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. METHODS: In this cross-sectional analysis, concentrations of 17 bacterial taxa and four proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα)) and two proinflammatory chemokines (IL-8 and interferon gamma-induced protein 10) were measured in vaginal swabs collected from 80 HIV-uninfected women. Cytokine and chemokine concentrations were compared between women with bacterial concentrations above or below the lower limit of detection as determined by quantitative PCR for each taxon. Principal component analysis was used to create a summary score for closely correlated bacteria, and linear regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between this score and increasing concentrations of TNFα and IL-1ß. RESULTS: Detection of Dialister micraerophilus (p=0.01), Eggerthella sp type 1 (p=0.05) or Mycoplasma hominis (p=0.03) was associated with higher TNFα concentrations, and detection of D. micraerophilus (p<0.01), Eggerthella sp type 1 (p=0.04), M. hominis (p=0.02) or Parvimonas sp type 2 (p=0.05) was associated with significantly higher IL-1ß concentrations. Seven bacterial taxa (D. micraerophilus, Eggerthella sp type 1, Gemella asaccharolytica, Sneathia sp, Megasphaera sp, M. hominis and Parvimonas sp type 2) were found to be highly correlated by principal component analysis (eigenvalue 5.24, explaining 74.92% of variability). Linear regression analysis demonstrated associations between this principal component and concentrations of TNFα (ß=0.55, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.08; p=0.048) and IL-1ß (ß=0.96, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.74; p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that several highly correlated vaginal bacterial taxa may influence vaginal cytokine and chemokine concentrations. These results suggest a mechanism where the presence of specific bacterial taxa could influence HIV susceptibility by increasing vaginal inflammation.

Utility of Short Message Service (SMS) for Remote Data Collection for HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Short message system (SMS) communication is widespread in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and may be a viable approach to address challenges with in-person data collection for HIV-related research and monitoring and evaluation. We reviewed the literature to characterize potential benefits and challenges with using SMS for remote data capture, including examples from HIV and sexual and reproductive health. RECENT FINDINGS: In our review, we found that studies that have used SMS to capture sensitive, self-reported data found this was an acceptable and feasible strategy, and may reduce social desirability bias of self-reported data; but studies are limited. Shared phones and privacy concerns have been described as challenges, but can be addressed with enhanced security features. Response rates to SMS surveys varied significantly by topic, population, and setting. SMS may improve generalizability and precision of health and behavior data for HIV in research and programs, but use in LMICs is limited. SMS systems should be carefully designed to overcome potential implementation hurdles.

Sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy and subsequent risk of stillbirth and infant mortality in Kenya: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the relationship of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and genital infections during pregnancy and subsequent risk for infant mortality and stillbirth. METHODS: This was a nested longitudinal analysis using data from a study of peripartum HIV acquisition in Kenya. In the parent study, HIV-uninfected women were enrolled during pregnancy and followed until 9 months postpartum. For this analysis, women who tested positive for HIV at any point, had a non-singleton pregnancy or a spontaneous abortion <20 weeks were excluded. At enrolment, laboratory methods were used to screen for bacterial vaginosis (BV), vaginal yeast, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Syphilis was diagnosed using rapid plasma reagin testing and genital ulcer disease (GUD) identified by clinical examination. Treatment of laboratory-confirmed STIs and syndromic management was provided per Kenyan national guidelines. Predictors of stillbirth and infant mortality were determined using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Overall, among 1221 women, 55% had STIs or genital infections detected: vaginal yeast (25%), BV (22%), TV (6%), CT (5%), NG (2%) and syphilis (1%). Among women with STIs/genital infections (n=592), 34% had symptoms. Overall, 19/1221 (2%) women experienced stillbirths. Among 1202 live births, 34 infant deaths occurred (incidence 4.0 deaths per 100 person-years, 95% CI 2.8 to 5.5). After adjustment for maternal age, education and study site, stillbirth was associated with maternal GUD (adjusted OR=9.19, 95% CI1.91 to 44.35, p=0.006). Maternal NG was associated with infant mortality (adjusted HR=3.83, 95% CI1.16 to 12.68, p=0.028); there was some evidence that maternal CT was associated with infant mortality. Stillbirth or infant mortality were not associated with other genital infections. CONCLUSIONS: STIs and genital infections were common, frequently asymptomatic and some associated with stillbirth or infant mortality. Expediting diagnosis and treatment of STIs in pregnancy may improve infant outcomes.

An mHealth SMS intervention on Postpartum Contraceptive Use Among Women and Couples in Kenya: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives. To assess the effect of 2-way short message service (SMS) with a nurse on postpartum contraceptive use among individual women and couples. Methods. From 2016 to 2017, we conducted a randomized controlled trial at 2 public hospitals in western Kenya. We assigned eligible pregnant women to receive 2-way SMS with a nurse or no SMS, with the option to include male partners. We delivered automated family planning-focused SMS messages weekly until 6 months postpartum. Women and men receiving SMS could interact with nurses via SMS. In intention-to-treat analysis, we compared highly effective contraceptive (HEC) use at 6 months postpartum between groups using the χ2 test. We used Poisson regression in adjusted analysis. Results. We randomized 260 women to 2-way SMS or control, and we enrolled 103 male partners. At 6 months postpartum, 69.9% women receiving SMS reported HEC use, compared with 57.4% in control (relative risk = 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01, 1.47; P = .04). In analysis adjusted for baseline demographic differences, the adjusted relative risk for HEC use in the SMS group was 1.26 (95% CI = 1.04, 1.52; P = .02). Conclusions. Two-way SMS with a nurse, including optional male participation, increased postpartum contraceptive use. Trial Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier: NCT02781714.

Utilizing perspectives from HIV-infected women, male partners and healthcare providers to design family planning SMS in Kenya: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Short message service (SMS) presents an opportunity to expand the reach of care and improve reproductive health outcomes. SMS could increase family planning (FP) use through education, support and demand generation. The purpose of this analysis is to determine the perspectives of potential FP users to inform design of SMS. METHODS: We conducted focus group discussions (FGD) with HIV-infected women and in-depth interviews (IDI) with male partners and health care workers (HCW) at urban and rural clinics in Kenya to design SMS content for a randomized controlled trial. RESULTS: Women and men indicated SMS could be used as a tool to discuss FP with their partners, and help decrease misconceptions about FP. Women stated SMS could make them more comfortable discussing sensitive topics with HCWs compared to in-person discussions. However, some women expressed concerns about FP SMS particularly if they used FP covertly or feared partner disapproval of FP use. These findings were common among women who had not disclosed their status. Providers viewed SMS as an important tool for tracking patients and clinical triage in conjunction with routine clinical visits. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that SMS has the potential to facilitate FP education, counselling, and interaction with HCWs around FP.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of postpartum contraceptive use among women in low- and middle-income countries.

BACKGROUND: Short birth intervals increase risk for adverse maternal and infant outcomes including preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW), and infant mortality. Although postpartum family planning (PPFP) is an increasingly high priority for many countries, uptake and need for PPFP varies in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to characterize postpartum contraceptive use, and predictors and barriers to use, among postpartum women in LMIC. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Global Health databases were searched for articles and abstracts published between January 1997 and May 2018. Studies with data on contraceptive uptake through 12 months postpartum in low- and middle-income countries were included. We used random-effects models to compute pooled estimates and confidence intervals of modern contraceptive prevalence rates (mCPR), fertility intentions (birth spacing and birth limiting), and unmet need for contraception in the postpartum period. RESULTS: Among 669 studies identified, 90 were selected for full-text review, and 35 met inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were from East Africa, West Africa, and South Asia/South East Asia. The overall pooled mCPR during the postpartum period across all regions was 41.2% (95% CI: 15.7-69.1%), with lower pooled mCPR in West Africa (36.3%; 95% CI: 27.0-45.5%). The pooled prevalence of unmet need was 48.5% (95% CI: 19.1-78.0%) across all regions, and highest in South Asia/South East Asia (59.4, 95% CI: 53.4-65.4%). Perceptions of low pregnancy risk due to breastfeeding and postpartum amenorrhea were commonly associated with lack of contraceptive use and use of male condoms, withdrawal, and abstinence. Women who were not using contraception were also less likely to utilize maternal and child health (MCH) services and reside in urban settings, and be more likely to have a fear of method side effects and receive inadequate FP counseling. In contrast, women who received FP counseling in antenatal and/or postnatal care were more likely to use PPFP. CONCLUSIONS: PPFP use is low and unmet need for contraception following pregnancy in LMIC is high. Tailored counseling approaches may help overcome misconceptions and meet heterogeneous needs for PPFP.

Engaging men in an mHealth approach to support postpartum family planning among couples in Kenya: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Involving male partners in family planning (FP) education and counseling may improve FP utilization and help meet couples' reproductive health needs in the postpartum period. We aimed to explore Kenyan men's and women's perspectives on an interactive short message service (SMS) approach to support postpartum FP decision-making, and inform intervention content for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: We conducted four focus group discussions (FGD) among men (n = 35) and two among pregnant/postpartum women (n = 15) in western Kenya. Female participants were recruited at antenatal clinics; male participants were referred by antenatal attendees. FGDs included participant critique of pilot theory-based SMS messages. FGD transcripts were coded by two investigators and analyzed using an iterative, modified grounded theory approach. These data informed the intervention and RCT design, in which women had the option to refer male partners for trial enrollment. RESULTS: Men strongly desired inclusion in FP programs, and frequently discussed negative relationship consequences of women's covert contraceptive use. Female and male participants voiced a variety of concerns about contraceptive side effects and potential harms, which were central to narratives of community influence on personal contraceptive choices. Most participants felt that receiving FP-focused SMS and including men would be beneficial. They perceived that SMS dialogue with a nurse about FP could reduce misperceptions and may stimulate communication within couples, thereby improving contraceptive access and continuation. Shared decision-making around FP within couple relationships, in consultation with clinicians, was highly valued. CONCLUSIONS: Health concerns about FP and limited couple communication are perceived contributors to postpartum unmet contraceptive need. With women's consent, the inclusion of male partners in FP services, and specifically in an mHealth SMS intervention, is acceptable and desired. Receiving SMS may trigger communication about postpartum FP within couples. SMS content should address contraceptive knowledge gaps, anticipated side effects and FP misperceptions, and allow for real-time method choice assistance.

Acceptability, feasibility and utility of a Mobile health family planning decision aid for postpartum women in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Unmet need for contraception is high during the postpartum period, increasing the risk of unintended subsequent pregnancy. We developed a client facing mobile phone-based family planning (FP) decision aid and assessed acceptability, feasibility, and utility of the tool among health care providers and postpartum women. METHODS: Semi-structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted among postpartum women (n = 25) and FP providers (n = 17) at 4 Kenyan maternal and child health clinics, 2 in the Nyanza region (Kisumu and Siaya Counties) and 2 in Nairobi. Stratified purposive sampling was used to enroll postpartum women and FP providers. Data were analyzed using an inductive content analysis approach by 3 independent coders, with consensual validation. RESULTS: FP providers stated that the Interactive Mobile Application for Contraceptive Choice (iMACC) tool contained the necessary information about contraceptive methods for postpartum women and believed that it would be a useful tool to help women make informed, voluntary decisions. Most women valued the decision aid content, and described it as being useful in helping to dispel myths and misconceptions, setting realistic expectations about potential side effects and maintaining confidentiality. Both women and providers expressed concerns about literacy and lack of familiarity with smart phones or tablets and suggested inclusion of interactive multimedia such as audio or videos to optimize the effectiveness of the tool. CONCLUSIONS: The iMACC decision aid was perceived to be an acceptable tool to deliver client-centered FP counseling by both women and providers. Counseling tools that can support FP providers to help postpartum women make informed and individualized FP decisions in resource-limited settings may help improve FP counseling and contraceptive use in the postpartum period.

SMS messaging to improve ART adherence: perspectives of pregnant HIV-infected women in Kenya on HIV-related message content.

There is growing evidence that mobile health (mHealth) approaches including short messaging service (SMS) can improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, but consensus is lacking regarding communication of HIV-related information. Most interventions to date have delivered SMS that do not overtly refer to HIV or ART in order to avoid risk of status disclosure. In formative work for an ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating one-way and two-way educational SMS for prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) adherence in Kenya, we conducted 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 87 HIV-infected peripartum women to determine desirability and preferred terminology of HIV-related content. SMS for the RCT were developed based on FGD findings. Roughly half of FGD participants supported receiving SMS containing overtly HIV-related terms, such as "HIV" and "medication", citing desire for detailed educational messages about ART and PMTCT. Those opposed to overt content expressed concerns about confidentiality. Many participants argued that acceptability of HIV-related content depended on the recipient's disclosure status and others' access to her phone. Based on these findings, both covert and overt SMS were developed for the RCT and participants who owned their phone or had disclosed their HIV status to anyone with access to their phone were able to choose one of three options: (1) covert SMS only, (2) overt SMS only in response to HIV-related questions from the participant, (3) overt SMS routinely, initiated by the study. Of the 825 participants in the RCT, 94% were eligible to receive overt SMS. Of these, 66% opted to receive routine overt SMS and 10% to receive participant-initiated overt SMS. These findings show there may be interest in overt HIV-related information by SMS when risk of status disclosure is low, and support use of messaging strategies that allows participant choice in HIV-related content while protecting against undesired disclosure.

A Risk Assessment Tool for Identifying Pregnant and Postpartum Women Who May Benefit From Preexposure Prophylaxis.

Background: A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk assessment tool for pregnant women could identify women who would most benefit from preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) while minimizing unnecessary PrEP exposure. Methods: Data from a prospective study of incident HIV among pregnant/postpartum women in Kenya were randomly divided into derivation (n = 654) and validation (n = 650) cohorts. A risk score was derived using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and standard clinical prediction rules. Ability of the tool to predict maternal HIV acquisition was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) and Brier score. Results: The final risk score included the following predictors: having a male partner with unknown HIV status, number of lifetime sexual partners, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis (BV), and vaginal candidiasis. In the derivation cohort, AUC was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], .72-.95) and each point increment in score was associated with a 52% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.52 [95% CI, 1.32-1.76]; P < .001) increase in HIV risk; the Brier score was 0.11. In the validation cohort, the score had similar AUC, Brier score, and estimated HRs. A simplified score that excluded BV and candidiasis yielded an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI, .67-.85); HIV incidence was higher among women with risk scores >6 than with scores ≤6 (7.3 vs 1.1 per 100 person-years, respectively; P < .001). Women with simplified scores >6 accounted for 16% of the population but 56% of HIV acquisitions. Conclusions: A combination of indicators routinely assessed in antenatal clinics was predictive of HIV risk and could be used to prioritize pregnant women for PrEP.