A Facilitated Group Educational Intervention to Improve Postpartum Retention in HIV Care: A Pilot Study

Retention in care as measured by clinic attendance is a pillar of HIV management and is prioritized in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Postpartum women are at especially high risk for poor retention and related adverse outcomes, including death. The Prentice Women’s Hospital (PWH) and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) Infectious Disease Center (IDC) joint Perinatal HIV Program provides obstetrical and HIV care to predominantly ethnic minority, indigent HIV-positive women in Chicago. While our program has demonstrated extraordinary success in preventing maternal to fetal HIV transmission during pregnancy, over one-third of women fails to follow-up in the year after delivery. Little is known about strategies to improve HIV retention in this unique group. The Centering model of pregnancy care emphasizes education, assessment, and support and is proven to improve obstetrical outcomes, knowledge, and prenatal clinic attendance in a general population of women. In this study, we use CenteringPregnancy (CP) core components to improve postpartum HIV retention. Effects of the intervention on retention after delivery will be assessed by comparing to historical rates. This pilot intervention has the potential to improve the health of PWH/IDC patients locally, empower vulnerable and neglected women, and benefit postpartum women with HIV nationally and globally.