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Introduction: Depression among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive individuals has been associated with reduced quality of life. Objective: To evaluate the effect of depressive symptoms and HIV exposure on mean quality of life scores in HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative postpartum women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with two groups: 80 HIV-seropositive and 80 HIV-seronegative postpartum women. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life short-version scale were used to assess presence of depressive symptoms and quality of life scores. Two-way analysis of variance was used to compare the effects of depressive symptoms, HIV exposure and interaction between depressive symptoms and HIV exposure on mean quality of life scores, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Depressive symptoms were present in 35% (28) of HIV-seropositive and 17.5% (14) of HIV-seronegative participants (p = 0.02). The interaction between depressive symptoms and HIV exposure was not significant for any quality of life domain. The main effect of HIV exposure was also not significant. Depressive symptoms had a negative influence on quality of life scores in all domains (physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The quality of life of pregnant women is negatively influenced by the presence of depressive symptoms. Keywords: Pregnancy; quality of life; depression and HIV

Introduction: The prevention strategies for MTCT of HIV proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies have significantly reduced the number of infected children, child morbidity and mortality associated with HIV, and have improved maternal health. However, the detection rate of pregnant women with HIV in Brazil significantly increased in the last decade10. Objective: To evaluate factors that may interfere in mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods: A historical cohort study with a sample of 299 HIV-infected mothers and their newborns who delivered at the Obstetric Center of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, from January 2010 to December 2014. Results: Of the 299 newborns of HIV-infected mothers, 3.7% (n = 11) were infected. Of those, 90.9% (n = 10) were born by cesarean section; 90.9% (n = 10) had ≥ 37 weeks; 54.6% (n = 6) received zidovudine starting within the first 4 hours after birth; and 45.4% (n = 5) received zidovudine and nevirapine. Four women whose newborns were infected with HIV had syphilis during pregnancy (36.4%). Poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (p < 0.003), viral load ≥ 1000 copies/mL or ignored in the third trimester (p < 0.000), and CD4 count < 500 cells/mm3 in the third trimester (p < 0.046) were significantly associated with an increased risk of MTCT. Conclusions: Lack of control of risk factors may contribute to unfavorable rates of MTCT of HIV.

1978, nasceu Louise Brown, o primeiro bebê de proveta. Este nascimento histórico foi o resultado de pesquisas do biólogo Robert Edwards e do ginecologista Patrick Steptoe (1). Em 2010, Edwards recebeu o prêmio Nobel de Medicina/ Fisiologia, pela importância desta técnica para a humanidade. Este artigo revisa as etapas envolvidas na fertilização in vitro (FIV), as dificuldades dos pioneiros, as soluções encontradas e os procedimentos clínicos utilizados atualmente. Louise Brown, the first baby conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF), was born in 1978. This landmark was a result of research conducted by biologist Robert Edwards and gynecologist Patrick Steptoe (1). In 2010, Edwards was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in recognition of the importance of IVF to humanity. The objective of the present article is to review the steps involved in IVF, the difficulties faced by pioneers, the solutions found, and the clinical procedures currently employed.