Chiang Mai Med Bull 1998;37:69-73.

To evaluate growth and development of infants with maternal HIV infection, 93 infants (28 HIV infected and 65 uninfected) born to HIV infected mothers at Chiang Mai University Hospital from July 1993 to December 1996 were followed. Growth and development were assessed from birth to 18 months of age. Anthropometric data including weight, length, and head circumference were gathered during each visit, Gestational age and birth weight were not different between the two groups. Compared with uninfected infants, HIV infected infants demonstrated increased frequency of impaired growth. By 2 months of age, the mean weight of infected infants was significantly lower than that of uninfected ones. The length and head circumference were also significantly different at 4 months. HIV infected infants demonstrated increased frequency and earlier onset of delayed development and failure to thrive than uninfected infants. We conclude that HIV infection does not affect birth weight but postnatal growth is typically affected more in HIV infected than noninfected infants. The growth rate of HIV infected infants is significant slower than that of uninfected ones. Failure to thrive and delayed development are found more frequently and at early onset in HIV infected children.