SynthesisPediatric research2026
Mother-to-child HIV exposure and its relation with neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Pediatric research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMother-to-child Exposure to HIV (MCE) is a growing concern. While antiretroviral therapy has reduced vertical transmission rates, the inflammatory response and adverse neurobehavioural outcomes in children are conflicting. Thus, this review aims to synthesise existing evidence between HIV exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in MCE compared to unexposed children.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted to screen systematic reviews until July of 2025 were investigated, investigating the relationship between HIV exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders. The PECO framework guided eligibility criteria. PubMed, Cochrane and LILACS were used with search strategies based on terms such as "Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical", "HIV", "Child Development Disorders, Pervasive", and "Developmental Disabilities". Data extraction included study characteristics, methodologies, and key findings. Risk of bias was assessed using AMSTAR-2, and Hedge's g was used in meta-analysis.
resultsThe review included four articles focusing on motor, cognitive, and language outcomes. MCE children showed no statistical differences with MCU population. Studies in resource-limited settings reported more cognitive, pronounced deficits in MCE children.
conclusionMCE children show not statistically significant neurodevelopmental outcomes in our meta-analysis. Heterogeneity in assessment tools and limited data on demographic and socioeconomic profile constrain definitive conclusions. Further research addressing confounders is crucial for developing targeted interventions. IMPACT: This study highlights growing evidence on mother-to-child exposure to HIV may have subtle to no neurodevelopmental differences when compared to their unexposed peers, but data are heterogeneous and conflicting. This underscores the importance of new studies to comprehend and address risk to intervention necessities of Mother-to-child HIV exposure.
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Registered trials
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