Advanced Hodgkin's disease in a pregnant HIV seropositive woman: Favorable mother and baby outcome following combined anticancer and antiretroviral therapy

We describe a 33 y/o HIV⁺ woman who developed advanced Hodgkin's disease (HD) during the 2nd trimester of her pregnancy. Combination chemotherapy and antiretroviral treatment along with opportunistic infection prophylaxis were administered. At term, while in partial remission, she delivered by a Caesarian section a healthy baby, PCR-negative for HIV. A complete remission was later achieved upon completion of the chemotherapy regimen. Since both the incidence of HD and the proportion of young women among the HIV⁺ individuals are increasing, it seems important to recognize that successful completion of pregnancy with no deterioration of accepted surrogate parameters of HIV disease progression is achievable in a carefully treated HIV⁺ pregnant woman with advanced HD.