South Africa's high HIV prevalence presents unique challenges, including potential impacts on hearing function in children born to women with HIV. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly reduced vertical transmission of HIV, the combined influence of maternal health conditions and in utero HIV and ART exposure on childhood hearing outcomes remains poorly understood....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Audiologists working with HIV-affected paediatric populations in high-prevalence settings should maintain heightened vigilance for hearing loss, as antiretroviral therapy (ART) exposure in utero may be a risk factor — though this descriptive study cannot establish causation.
With millions of children born to women living with HIV globally, understanding whether antiretroviral therapy exposure contributes to paediatric hearing loss has significant public health implications for early hearing detection programmes.
- 01Descriptive analysis from South Africa examines hearing outcomes in HIV-exposed children.
- 02Both maternal HIV status and in-utero antiretroviral therapy exposure are considered as potential factors.
- 03Study design is descriptive — causation between ART exposure and hearing loss cannot be confirmed.
- 04Findings are relevant to newborn hearing screening programmes in high-HIV-prevalence settings.
- 05Highlights a potential ototoxicity (medication-related hearing damage) risk warranting further controlled study.
Maternal antiretroviral therapy exposure is associated with hearing outcomes in children born to women living with HIV.
studypartially supportedMaternal health status in HIV-positive women influences hearing outcomes in their children.
studyunclear- PMID
- 42755276
- DOI
- 10.2989/16085906.2026.2725615.
- Journal
- South African Journal of Communication Disorders
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Children born to women living with HIV in South Africa, with varying antiretroviral therapy exposure
- Intervention
- In-utero antiretroviral therapy exposure and maternal HIV health status
- Comparator
- Children with differing levels of ART exposure or maternal health status
Primary outcomes
Hearing outcomes in HIV-exposed children; Association between antiretroviral therapy exposure and hearing loss