HIV During Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:35 what is HIV
1:55 The risk of passing HIV increases if
2:17 how to minimize risk of passing HIV to the baby





• If you are pregnant and are diagnosed with an HIV infection, it is quite normal to have several questions and concerns. 
• A 2018 study estimates that around 5000 women with HIV give birth every year, making it a fairly well-known condition. 
• What you need to be sure of is that having HIV during pregnancy does spell doom for you and your baby. 
• With the right treatment and precautions, you will be able to give birth to a healthy baby. 
• Let’s look at this in detail: 
What is HIV? 
• The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects your immune system and weakens it to the point that your body gets susceptible to other infections and antigens. 
• The virus is transmitted through sexual contact and other means, specifically by the exchange of bodily fluids. 
• You may have HIV and be a carrier without showing any symptoms, making it important to get yourself tested for the virus. 
• However, HIV does not mean that you have AIDS disease. 
• AIDS develops as a result of HIV, and you will become susceptible to it if you let HIV stay inside your body without treatment. 
• You will be monitored closely during treatment, with the amount of HIV in your blood is regularly tested. 
Will the Baby Get HIV? 
• HIV does not take away the ability to get pregnant and neither does it interfere in a normal, healthy delivery.   
• The baby does not usually get the virus if the mother is being treated. 
• However, there is still a risk of transmission, which can occur:
• During pregnancy from the blood in the placenta. 
• During labor and delivery if the baby comes into contact with the mother’s blood. 
• Through breastfeeding, which increases a baby’s chance of getting HIV by 10 to 20%. 
• The risk of passing on HIV increases if:
• You have an illness caused due to HIV, such as tuberculosis. 
• You have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) during pregnancy that has not been treated. 
• Having a high viral load but low immune cell count (CD4). 
How to Minimize Risk of Passing HIV to the Baby
• Having HIV during pregnancy does not mean that you are confirmed to pass it to your baby. 
• By taking the right steps, you can decrease the risk of transmission by 99%. 
• Taking anti-viral medication to treat your HIV infection is the first step. 
• Not all HIV medication is safe for a baby, and you will need to consult your doctor for the medicines you and your baby need. 
• The medicine helps fight the infection in you and your baby. 
• Secondly, opting for a C-section (Caesarian) delivery decreases the chance of HIV transmission. 
• Finally, you have to avoid breastfeeding your baby. 
• Although breastfeeding is important for a baby’s development, it can increase the risk of HIV transmission. 
• It is encouraged to breastfeed a baby if you are showing low viral counts, but it is a risk otherwise. 
• You need to protect your baby and look for other solutions.