If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, it’s important to get tested for HIV as soon as possible. If you find out that do have HIV, you can start treatment right away to protect your health and the health of your baby.
If I have HIV, can I pass it on to my baby during pregnancy? If you are pregnant and have HIV, there is a risk of passing HIV to your baby. It can happen in three ways:
During pregnancy
During childbirth, especially if it is vaginal childbirth
During breastfeeding
But having HIV doesn’t mean that you can’t have children. Treatment with a combination of HIV medicines can help prevent passing HIV to your baby and protect your own health.
If I have HIV, how can I prevent giving it to my baby? There are several different steps you can take to help prevent passing HIV to your baby:
Taking HIV medicines. HIV medicines reduce the amount of HIV in the body (viral load) to a very low level. The goal is to get your viral load so low that a standard lab test can’t detect it. This is called having an “undetectable viral load.” Having an undetectable viral load is the best thing you can do to stay healthy and prevent your baby from getting HIV.
These medicines will also help protect your health. Most HIV medicines are safe to use during pregnancy. They don’t usually raise the risk of birth defects. But it is important to talk with your health care provider about the risks and benefits of the different medicines. Together you can decide which medicines are right for you. Then you need to make sure you take your medicines regularly.
If needed, having a cesarean delivery. If your viral load is not reduced enough by the medicines, having a cesarean delivery (C-Section) can help prevent passing HIV to your baby.
Giving HIV medicines to the baby. Your baby will get HIV medicines as soon as possible after birth. The medicines protect your baby from infection from any HIV that passed from you during childbirth. Which medicine your baby gets depends on several factors, including what your viral load was just before you gave birth. Your baby will need to take medicines for 4 to 6 weeks. He or she will get several HIV tests over the first few months.
Not breastfeeding. Breast milk can have HIV in it. In the United States, infant formula is safe and readily available. So the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that if you have HIV, you should feed your baby formula instead of breastfeeding.
Before we begin: HIV positive and pregnant or thinking about HIV and pregnancy? Learn how with early testing and medication you can significantly lower your risk of passing HIV to your baby.
This tutorial walks you through everything you need to know about hiv and pregnancy. We explain it in plain language, step by step, so whether you are a student, a patient, or simply curious, you will come away with a solid understanding.
We cover what it is, why it matters, how it is diagnosed, and what you can do about it. Key facts are called out along the way.
What if I want to get pregnant and my partner has HIV? If you are trying to get pregnant, it’s important for your partner to also get tested for HIV.
If your partner does have HIV and you do not, talk to your provider about taking PrEP. PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. This means taking medicines to prevent HIV. The PrEP helps to protect both you and your baby from HIV.
Related topics: AIDS and Pregnancy, Pregnancy and AIDS, Pregnancy and HIV.
Categories: Women, Pregnancy and Reproduction, Immune System, Female Reproductive System.
Source: National Institutes of Health — National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Key Takeaways
Understanding hiv and pregnancy is an important part of taking charge of your health. Here is what to remember:
- Know the signs — Recognizing early symptoms can lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.
- Talk to your provider — If you have concerns or a family history of this condition, bring it up at your next checkup.
- Stay informed — Medical knowledge evolves. Keep learning and asking questions.
- You are not alone — Many people deal with this condition. Support groups and educational resources can help.