Publications

World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement on HIV antiretroviral drug Dolutegravir (DTG) following the identification of a potential safety issue related to neural tube defects in infants born to women living with HIV who were taking DTG at the time of conception in a study in Botswana. Shortly, the Ministry of Health in Uganda reviewed guidelines to exclude women 15-49 years from the use of DTG except for those on long term family planning methods and sterilization. Data from the Tsepamo Study show that 0.9% of babies (4 of 426 babies) who were exposed to Dolutegravir had neural tube defects.  The neural tube defects were reported only in babies of some of the women who were taking Dolutegravir at the time of conception–there were no reported neural tube defects among more than 2,500 babies born to women who began taking Dolutegravir after conception. Read ICWEAs statement on DTG for women living with HIV of reproductive potential.