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?
Thanks for replying..you helping a lot,and what happens if the viral load is close to 50ml?
Hi Maya,
Here is a similar question about the safest way to feed your baby. Angelina says that if you are breastfeeding you should breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. It’s not recommended to mix feed with bottle feeding and breastfeeding.
As you know, taking ARVs and having an undetectable viral load dramatically reduces the risk of transmission through breastfeeding. And your viral load is very close to 50 copies/mL. But if this is worrying you please talk to your doctor about it. Nevirapine will help protect your baby too.
Hi I have an his negative baby and he is now a month old and taking nevirapine. I’m taking ARV’s since pregnancy….My viral load was 70ml the last time they checked me but now my worry is that I am breastfeeding and I want to ask is it is safe for my baby?
Hi Neo,
It’s important that you check with your doctor first about the nevirapine dose for your baby. Are there reasons why you’d like to do this? Perhaps a nurse at the clinic you can help with advice. You can tell them exactly what you want to do.
hi my baby is on nevarapin and I’m breastfeeding is it a safe way if I change time of giving him his med.
Hi Solie,
Could you please explain how you’re giving your baby their medication. So, is this after they have had milk or before.
Hellow I am worried ,I gave birth to an negative baby ,so m breastfeeding my child is using neverapine to prevent him from his which I have,but sometimes my baby vomits the milk n I think the medication also came out,could he be HIV positive because sometimes he vomits the medication
Hi Anna,
If you’re breastfeeding, your baby will need to be taking meds. Is it possible for you to get some more?
I am breastfeeding, hiv positive, baby is on nevirapin , taking arv’s . Should I stop breastfeeding as the nevirapine is finis ?
Hi Martha,
If your child is unwell they should be seen by a doctor. We can’t give medical advice about children with a rumbling tummy.