Characteristics of included studies
| Author | Study population | Study design | Definition of male involvement | Approach used | Impact/OR | Outcome measured |
| Aluisio et al 22 | 364 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC. 172 in intervention group and 192 in control group in Nigeria | RCT | ANC | Complex community interventions | 3.4 (1.4 to 8.2) | Proportion of women who initiated ART (by medical records) |
| Aluisio et al 22 | 456 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Kenya | Cohort | ANC | Verbal encouragement | 1.48 (0.96 to 2.29) | Proportion of women who initiated and/or adhered to ART (medical records) |
| Audet et al 28 | 1090 adult HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Mozambique | Cohort | ANC and male HIV counselling and testing | Complex community interventions | 1.24 (0.90 to 1.71). Adjusted: 2.68 (1.59 to 4.51) | Proportion of women who initiated ART (from medical records) |
| Bannink-Mbazzi et al 29 | 1438 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Uganda | Cohort | Couple voluntary counselling and testing | Complex community interventions | 4.08 (3.13 to 5.37) | Proportion of women who started ART (from medical records) |
| Becker et al 11 | 81 HIV-positive pregnant women, married living with spouse. 31 in CVCT and 50 in IVCT arm in Tanzania | RCT | Couple voluntary counselling and testing | Invitation letter | 1.74 (0.65 to 4.62) | Proportion of women who started ART (by self-report) |
| Byamugisha et al 32 | 1713 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Uganda | Cohort | ANC, counselling and testing | Complex community interventions | 2.67 (2.13 to 3.32) | Proportion of women who started ART (from medical records) |
| Conkling et al 18 | 185 HIV-positive women attending ANC for each centre in Rwanda and Zambia | Cohort | Couple HIV counselling and testing | Invitation letter | 1.08 (0.73 to 1.57) Adjusted: 1.08 (0.73 to 1.57) | Proportion of women who started ART (from self-report) |
| Conkling et al 18 | 185 HIV-positive women attending ANC for each centre in Rwanda | Cohort | Couple HIV counselling and testing | Invitation letter | 1.21 (0.66 to 2.23) Adjusted: 1.21 (0.66 to 2.23) | Proportion of women who started ART (from self-report) |
| Farquhar et al 21 | 217 HIV-positive women attending ANC in Kenya | Cohort | Attendance at ANC and couple HIV counselling and testing | Enhanced psychosocial intervention | 3.4 (1.3 to 9.0) Adjusted: 3.4 (1.3 to 9.0) | Proportion of women who started ART (from self-report) |
| Herce et al 31 | 2121 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Malawi | Serial cross-sectional | Attendance at ANC and couple HIV counselling and testing | Complex community interventions | 14.01 (10.91 to 17.29) | Proportion of women who started ART (from medical records) |
| Kalembo et al 23 | 476 HIV-positive pregnant women in Malawi | Cohort | ANC attendance, couple counselling and testing, HIV status disclosure and support to adhere to protocols | Verbal encouragement | 1.6 (0.7 to 3.7) | Proportion of women who started ART (from medical records) |
| Msuya et al 24 | 184 HIV-positive pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in Tanzania | Cohort | ANC attendance, couple HIV counselling and testing | Verbal encouragement | 3.45 (1.0 to 12.0) | Proportion of women who started ART (from medical records) |
| Nyondo et al 19 | 76 HIV-positive pregnant women, adult, married. 36 in intervention arm and 40 in control arm in Malawi | RCT | ANC attendance | Invitation letter | 2.46 (0.64 to 9.49) | Proportion of women who started ART (source not clearly stated) |
| Peltzer et al 25 | 745 HIV-positive breastfeeding mothers in South Africa | Cohort | ANC attendance | Enhanced psychosocial intervention | 2.48 (1.64 to 3.76) Adjusted: 1.58 (0.81 to 3.07) | Proportion of women who started ART and adhered to treatment (from medical records) |
| Semrau et al 30 | 2141 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Zambia | Cohort | ANC attendance, counselling and testing | Complex community interventions | 3.69 (2.83 to 4.76) | Proportion of women who started ART (from self-reporting) |
| Spangler et al 26 | 145 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in Kenya | Cohort | HIV status disclosure | Verbal encouragement | 4.32 (2.2 to 8.49) Adjusted:7.9 (3.65 to 17.3) | Proportion of women who start ART (from self-report) |
| Weiss et al 20 | 24 HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC in South Africa | RCT | ANC attendance, counselling and testing | Enhanced psychosocial intervention | 3 (0.54 to 16.78) Adjusted:2.46 (0.64 to 9.49) | Proportion of women starting ART (from medical records) |
ANC, antenatal care attendance; ART, antiretroviral therapy; CVCT, couple voluntary testing and counselling; IVCT, individual voluntary testing and counselling; RCT, randomised controlled trial.