Abstract

The vertical transmission control after birth is passed to the child’s caregiver, having them ties of consanguinity or not, once the child does not promote self-care itself. When supported and guided by health professionals, it is the caregiver who has the power to ensure the prevention and improvement of the child’s quality of life. However, when these guidelines are insufficient or inadequate, the children receive nourishment that do not supply their nutritional needs, the deficiency of adequate information about the nourishment of children vertically exposed to HIV, its common. The guidelines effectiveness is directly related to the psychosocial, cultural and biological specificities of each family, and to comprehend them, it is necessary that health professionals have an approach of the reality experienced by them, through the settlement of a relationship of bond and respect. It is known that there is a variability of factors that influence in a positive or negative way on the food choices offered to children exposed to HIV. This study has as a purpose to evaluate the available evidences in scientific articles about the intervenient factors in the nourishment of children vertically exposed to HIV. It’s an integrative revision of the literature, performed on the LILACS, PubMed and Scopus data bases, in January 2016. 29 primary studies evidenced the factors that interfere in the nourishment of these children: on the individual surface, the maternal feelings and desires, beliefs and practical difficulties. On the social surface, the socioeconomic conditions, social support and prejudice. On the political surface, the services’ structure and organisation, input supplies, guidance and the professionals’ empathy and ethics. The factors that interfere in the nourishment of vertically exposed children may be independent or associated to each other. For the risks of inadequate nutrition and associated diseases to be reduced, action is needed to identify and minimise these factors, guaranteeing the promotion of health and reduction of infant morbimortality.