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 Beauty,
Do you know what your viral load is? If it’s detectable then you shouldn’t be breastfeeding, you should be giving your baby formula milk.
When you’re breastfeeding, it’s important that you adhere to your medication (it’s actaully important that you adhere all the time) if you don’t the risk of transmission will increase. You also risk developing resistance to your medication.
Is there any reason why you weren’t given enough medication? Are you able to collect your ARVs before Wednesday? Also, why are you being changed to another ARV combination?
Hi.i started taking my arvs when I was 8months pregnant.gave birth last week and my daughter is on zidovudine.i have been breastfeeding her for a week now but I want to change to formula because I missed my medication for three days Cox I was on avonza when I was pregnant and was told that I will change the medicine after delivery.my avonza finished on Saturday and I will collect the new medicine on Wednesday but I have been giving her the medication.is my baby at risk because I missed my own dose for three days.
Hi Lily,
It’s great to hear that your baby’s first tests were negative, this is a good sign.
Co-trimoxazole isn’t an ARV, it’s an antibiotic. You’re going to need to talk to your baby’s doctor about when they need to stop taking it.
Hi, my baby tested negative at 6weeks and now 6 months. I have been exclusively breastfeeding him. I want to stop breastfeeding and introduce him to formula and other food. Can I continue giving him Co-trimoxazole while on formula? When is the right time to stop the medication
Hi Mbali,
No this doesn’t mean that your baby is positive. All babies born to positive mothers are given a short course of ARVs. Has your baby been tested?
Hi my baby was only given zidovudine, does that means he is positive?
Hi Brenda,
If you’re positive and breastfeeding, then yes your baby should take ARVs. Please discuss this with your child’s doctor.
If you are breastfeeding you must continue wuth the syrup
Hi Bonolo, please contact your doctor or this clinic. Different situations involve different lengths of treatment.
Hi my baby is 6 weeks and on breast milk and I took her for her 6 weeks check up and her pcr results were negative, but I was not told to continue with nevirapine or not. What should I do? Stop giving her nevirapine or continue giving her?