Goldstein PJ, et al. - Researchers investigated the incidence of low birth weight infants born to HIV seropositive women. Further, they assessed how antiretroviral therapy affects birth weight. Using obstetrical medical records from January 1, 1995, through June 30, 1998, they obtained data regarding antiretroviral therapy, CD4 counts, and birth weights of the newborns of HIV seropositive women. The frequency of low birth weight infants was significantly increased among HIV infected women and particularly the subgroups of infected women who took no antepartum treatment, antepartum zidovudine only, and those treated with protease inhibitors (PIs). However, the presence of many other preterm obstetrical risk factors seen in this study may relate to this association. Treatment with PIs is provided to increasing numbers of HIV seropositive women according to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines. If PI use is the causative factor for low birth weight infants, women receiving these drugs may be at higher risk of low birth weight.