Table 3.
Duration, Adherence, and Side Effects of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
| Female participants |
|
|---|---|
| (N = 25) (%) | |
| Months on PrEP before conceptiona (median/IQR) | 10.9 (3.8–12.0) |
| DBS, 1-month follow-up (n = 23) | |
| >700 fmol/punch | 20 (87) |
| 350–699 fmol/punch | 1 (4) |
| <350 fmol/punch | 2 (9) |
| DBS at pregnancy (n = 8 pregnancies) | |
| >700 fmol/punch | 7 (88) |
| 350–699 fmol/punch | 1 (13) |
| <350 fmol/punch | 0 (0) |
| Experienced a medication side effect at the 1-month follow-up visitb | 14 (56) |
| PrEP use during pregnancy and postpartum (n = 8) | |
| Remained on PrEP throughout pregnancy | 2 (25) |
| Remained on PrEP postpartum | 2 (25) |
We followed participants until they achieved pregnancy or up to 12 months per study protocol. Due to an adverse reaction to FTC (emtricitabine), one woman was on tenofovir 300 mg only. This value includes seven women who stopped PrEP and reinitiated (median monthly cycle on PrEP for this group was 12; IQR: 11.16–12.5). This value also includes five lost-to-follow-up participants whose stop dates were estimated based on prescription refills.
Side effects included were as follows: headaches (79%), gas (64%), weight gain (21%), and weight loss (14%). Patients could choose more than one symptom, and thus column percentages sum to >100.
DBS, dried blood spot; IQR, interquartile range; PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis.