Question
My baby is on nevirapine and I’m breastfeeding, is my baby positive?
19 August 2016. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Answer
Firstly, congratulations on having your baby.
It is normal for your baby to be given a short course (4 weeks) of HIV treatment (such as nevirapine) when born. This doesn’t mean your baby is HIV positive. This will be checked later through testing. A different type of testing is also used on babies as the normal antibody test used in adults will show the baby as positive.
Our guide on pregnancy has lots more information
https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
In the UK, the BHIVA (British HIV Association) guidelines recommend bottle feeding.
This is because in countries where mothers can have access to to formula milk AND clean water ANDÂ bottle sterilising equipment, the risk of transmitting HIV to the baby through bottle feeding is zero. There are different recommendations for other countries though and many women breastfeed. I am not sure about the recommendations in Zambia.
This means that you are doing the best that you can to protect your baby.
However, being positive and looking after a new born baby can be hard and many people need help. Do you have much support around you to help or are you touch with good care from your doctor?
Hi Felicia,
Babies don’t usually need water. However, its OK to give a baby water if needed. It won’t have any impact on their possible status.
Im using formula feeding so can i give my baby water she is 2 weeks now and she is on neverapine
Hi Precious,
Congratulations on having a new baby. It’s good that you are taking nevirapine. This can benefit your health, and your baby’s health.
But have you skipped treatment for two days? What does the doctor say about it. Have you had trouble getting your meds from the clinic? Or did you just forget and are you back on nevirapine now.
Please let us know.
Here’s the guide to HIV pregnancy and women’s health.
I’m HIV positive and taking my treatment very well, my son is also on nevirapine since i’m breastfeeding him. He was tested and the results came back Negative so my question is what will happen to my baby if i skip my treatment for two days
Hi Felicia,
Yes this is OK. With formula there’s no risk.
I’m hiv+and I’m using formula milk to feed my baby and she is on neverapine is it okay or not
Hi Lindelwa,
Its not really possible to say if your child will be positive or not. You having a low viral load will reduce the risk of this. Though he may not be having the full dose of the nevirapine, he will be getting some.
Hi! My baby boy vomits his nevirapine most of the time, he was tested after birth and was negative, my viral load is low and am also on my ARV’s could him vomiting his medication cause him to get the infection as well? Thank you.
Hi Mpho,
Was your son tested when they were born? If they were what was the result.
Is your viral load undetectable? If it is the risk to your baby will be very low, this is even if they are no longer on ARVs. Is it possible to go back to the clinic and talk to the nurse about medication for your child. If you were breastfeeding in the UK your baby would need to be on medication.
With regards to testing in babies, there’s more info here: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
My baby is 8 weeks now,I took him for check up and asked the nurse to test my son and she told me they will test him when hes 10 weeks old. His medication is finished and am still breastfeeding him so am worried if he will be affected since am not giving him the neverapine but am still taking my ARVs…please advise