Question
I’m 6 months pregnant. Is it safe to delay starting treatment?
5 February 2018. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, South Africa, Starting treatment.
I am 6 months pregnant and have just tested positive. My CD4 count is 256. I have to start now.
I didn’t get much info as I thought I am doing it for my baby but I find it difficult to deal with the fact that I have developed AIDS, and have to start treatment.
My question is, will it be dangerous for me to delay taking the treatment for myself and only take the one for the baby. Since I think it was my emotional state that made my CD to be low.
I am very healthy and eat well. Please advise.
Answer
Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy.
I am sorry about your recent HIV diagnosis. I can appreciate that it cannot be easy dealing with a diagnosis during pregnancy and then knowing that you need to start taking treatment straight away. Can I ask if your doctor has put you in contact with support groups for people living with HIV? Many women find it helpful sharing experiences and coping with being HIV positive and pregnant.
Technically, a CD4 count of 256 doe not mean you have ‘AIDS’ as the US defines this as being less than 200, but it does mean starting treatment is very important.
Your doctor is giving you good advice. Starting treatment (ART) straight away is important.
The WHO (World Health Organisation) guidelines recommends all HIV positive pregnant women start ART. This is regardless of the CD4 count. These meds will be good for your health and good for your baby. The meds should get your viral load to undetectable befire your baby is born. Sometimes this takes longer than three months.
Viral load refers to the amount of virus in your body. An undetectable viral load (below 50 copies) means that there is very little virus in your body and is therefore the best way of preventing transmission to the baby.
Continuing ART afterwards is also recommended, but should be discussed with your doctor. As your CD4 count is 256, it is better to continue taking treatment after the baby is born.
The good news is that ART should increase your CD4 count. Although sometimes if you start taking treatment in pregnancy your CD4 count may not increase very much. If this happens, don’t worry, your CD4 count will catch up after the baby is born. For more information on HIV and pregnancy, please follow this link to our guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health. The guide also answers a lot of general questions about HIV and pregnancy.
It is good that you eat well and lead a healthy lifestyle. Avoiding stress, eating a balanced diet and taking exercise are all good for your general health and well being. However, this will not necessarily increase your CD4 count. ARVs are the only proven way of increasing and maintaining a good CD4 count.
As you are based in South Africa, you may find it useful to contact TAC (Treatment Action Campaign). They will be able to put you in contact with support groups near you. You may also find it useful to read TAC’s guide to Pregnancy in our lives.
Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy.
Note: This answer was updated in February 2018 from a question first posted online in April 2012.
Hi Natashia,
I’m sorry, testing HIV positive when you’re pregnant is a difficult time for many women.
Testing positive at 7 months is a bit late. But if this happens please don’t worry. There is plenty that can be done to help you have a negative baby.
Please can you talk to the clinic about starting HIV meds. Taking HIV treatment (ART) can help protect your baby from HIV. It can reduce the amount of HIV in your blood to undetectable. This can dramatically reduce the risk to your baby. Here is the guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health.
So it’s important to start ART immediately and get an undetectable viral load by the time of delivery. Please talk to the clinic about this.
If you are scared about telling your husband, the clinic might be able to help. You can ask them about this too.
Hie I’m 7 months pregnant & I only found out that I’m positive today,will this affect my baby because I’m not on any medication.Im scared I don’t know how to tell my husband.
Hi Sarah,
Sorry to hear about your positive result. But it’s good you’ve started ART already. Here’s a link to ART in Pictures that shows what happens to your CD4 count and viral load once you start ART.
Unfortunately your blood test won’t come back HIV negative. But your viral load test should become undetectable. And that’s the best way to stop HIV from damaging your immune system. There’s much more info in this Introduction to ART.
Hey I’m Sarah I tested negative when started clinic I was in window period and I didn’t use protection now I tested Positive and I’m on ART pills it is possible for my blood test to come negative
Hi Alicia.
Yes its necessary to take ARVs when you’re pregnant, in fact its very important. Being on meds will reduce the risk of transmission to your child. The following guides may be of help: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy and http://i-base.info/guides/starting
Hello I’m 28 year old and pregnant… I found that I’m HIV positive my cd4 is 691… Is it neccesary for me to take arv treatments? Please help
Hi Mendy,
Congratulations on your pregnancy. It’s good that you’ve already started ART. The benefits of ART are not just to your own health. Treating your HIV will reduce the risk of your baby becoming HIV positive to almost zero.
ART aims to get your viral load to undetectable before your baby is born. That’s the best way to help keep your baby safe.
There’s a lot more info in the guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health.
I’m hiv positive I started my art after 4 weeks when I found I’m pregnant but my cd4 count is 316 is my baby gonna be safe
Hi Angela,
It’s good to know you’re back on your meds. Taking Atenef can reduce your viral load to undetectable. And the way to give your baby the best chance of being HIV negative is to be undetectable before your baby is born.
Here’s the guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health.
Hi I started taking treatment again 3 weeks back after 5 five months of not taking medication I just want to know if my child will be born negative as they gave me atenef for hiv and isoniazid and pyridoxine to prevent tb for me and my child?and am waiting for my blood results to come back so I can know my cd4 cound and my viral load… thanks for your advice am back to taking medication and I will never ever stop again