Vaginal Microbiota in HIV Infected and Uninfected Pregnant Women (Stand Alone)

Amita Gupta, MD, MHS, and Shilpa Naik, MD, are PIs for this study; Rupak Shivakoti, PhD, MSPH, is Co-Investigator

The makeup of vaginal microbiota is dynamic and may play a role in the birth outcomes of pregnant women. While HIV and pregnancy both uniquely impact vaginal microbiota, the impact of HIV on vaginal microbiota of pregnant women has yet to be assessed. The purpose of this study is to characterize the vaginal microbiota of pregnant women in India and compare differences in vaginal microbiota of pregnant women based on HIV status.

This is a cross-sectional study of 30 HIV-infected and 60 non-HIV infected pregnant women. In addition to pregnant women enrolled in the PRACHITI study, pregnant women will also be directly enrolled from the antenatal clinic at Sassoon Hospital in Pune, India into the study. Clinical, anthropometric and sociodemographic data will be collected. They will be enrolled and have vaginal swabs, blood and urine samples collected during the third trimester of their pregnancy.

Primary Objectives:

•    Establish Community State Types (CSTs) for pregnant women in Pune, India and compare them to those in the US
•    Compare vaginal microbiota makeup of HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women