If you have just been diagnosed with HIV
You may be reading this guide at a very confusing and hard time in your life. Finding out either that you are pregnant or that you are HIV positive can be overwhelming on its own. It can be even more difficult if you find out about both at the same time.
Both pregnancy and HIV care involve many new words and terms. We try our best to be clear about what these terms really mean and how they might affect your life.
On an optimistic note, it is likely that no matter how difficult things seem now, they will get better and easier. It is very important and reassuring to understand the great progress made in treating HIV. This is especially true for treatment in pregnancy.
There are lots of people, services and other source of information to help you. The advice that you receive from these sources and others may be different to that given to pregnant women generally. This includes information on medication, Caesarean section (C-section) and breastfeeding.
Most people with HIV have a lot of time to come to terms with their diagnosis before deciding about treatment. This may not be the case if you were diagnosed during your pregnancy. You may need to make some difficult decisions more quickly.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you understand the advice you receive. Here are some tips if you are confused or concerned as you consider your options:
- Ask lots of questions.
- Take your partner or a friend with you to your appointments.
- Try to talk to other women who have been in your situation.
The decisions that you make about your pregnancy are very personal. Having as much information as possible will help you make informed choices.
The only “correct” decisions are those that you make yourself.
You can only make these after learning all you can about HIV and pregnancy, and with your healthcare team.
I was diagnosed via antenatal testing when I was three months pregnant. What a time to receive bad news! I had a lot to think about and at the same time start treatment straight away.
The support I got from my group was invaluable in helping me appreciate the treatment and take it as prescribed. The thought of having a healthy baby made me determined to follow everything in detail.
I had a bouncing HIV negative baby boy thanks to ARVs.
After he was born I stopped my medication, on my doctors recommendation, as I did not need it for myself. My CD4 is quite good (above 600) and I had an undetectable viral load at the time of my baby’s delivery.
Jo, London