How and when will I know that my baby is HIV-negative?
Babies born to HIV positive mothers will always test HIV positive at first if the usual antibody tests are used.
This is because they share their mum’s antibodies. If your baby is not infected with HIV these will gradually disappear. This can sometimes take as long as 18 months.
The best test for HIV in babies is very similar to a viral load test. Called an HIV PCR DNA test, it looks for virus in the baby’s blood rather than at immune responses.
Good practice in the UK is to test babies the day they are born, and then when they are six weeks and three months old.
If all these tests are negative, and you are not breastfeeding your baby, then your baby is not HIV positive.
You will also be told that your baby no longer has your antibodies when he or she is 18 months old. This exciting milestone is called seroreversion.
To check the baby is HIV-negative
HIV PCR DNA – a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is a highly sensitive test that detects tiny amounts of HIV DNA in blood plasma.
The test will “amplify” or multiply HIV DNA in the test tube so that it can be more easily detected.