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 AND 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 Annoni, it is great to hear you have been undetectable since birth. Your baby would have been given Nevirapine as a precaution. This is a very very low risk situation. Your baby will not need to be on Nevirapine for long, it is just a further insurance that they will not contract HIV.
Hi
My viral load was Undedectable at birth, i gave birth via c section yet my child was given nivirapine syrup…why is that when she has been on only formula since birth?
Hi Goitsemang, Nevirapine is given to your baby to help them prevent getting HIV. Stopping at 6 weeks means there is a very low risk you will be transferring HIV to your baby. As such it is no longer needed, this is will be due to you being on ARV’s for 4 years and a low viral load.
Co-trimoxazole does not work like Nevirapine. It is an antibiotic used to prevent your baby from getting an infection. While breastfeeding, your baby is more at risk of getting an infection that you could be at risk of. The infection would be transmitted via the breastmilk. Having your baby on this antibiotic reduces the lieklihood they will be infected and keeps them safe.
I wanted to find out. How come I’m advised to give my baby nevarapine for only 6 weeks but advised to breastfeed her for a whole 6 months? And also, does co-trimoxazole work as nevarapine? As I will be giving it to my baby for as long as I breastfeed. My viral load was 248 at birth and have been taking anti retrovals for 4 years now
Hi, congratulations on your new baby. Recommendation depends on where you are and the risk towards your baby. WHO guidelines suggest 6 weeks of Nevirapine from birth and then stopping if there is low risk. You can be determined low risk if you have a viral load below 1000 and are on ART, or if your viral load is unknown, you have been on ART for the 4 weeks prior to their birth. Your baby testing negative already is excellent news. It is very unlikely is HIV positive.
Hi
My baby took nevarapine for 6 weeks, he tested negative for HIV so his pediatrician said he can stop taking it. But when I took him for his 6-8 week immunization at the local clinic they said he should continue with the supplements. My baby is now 7 weeks and hasn’t been taking his meds for a week. Couple he be infected?
Hi Siphosethu, congratulations on your new baby. Are you in South Africa? In South Africa it’s recommended that Nevirapine is given to babies for the first four weeks when there is a low risk of transmission. It is considered low risk when the mother has a viral load below 1000 and/or has been on ARVs for more than 4 weeks.
Hi am Siphosethu am worried that l’ve stopped giving my baby nevirapine but l haven’t stopped breastfeed him but am taking my medication well and my baby tested negative will my baby be positive because l’ve stopped giving him nervipine he is a month old now
Hi Thusi, congratulations on your new baby. Can I ask how you were feeding him before 7 weeks? Mixed feeding does carry a higher risk than only breastfeeding or only using formula but it is unlikely the chance is high. Even more so if you are both on HIV medication. Stopping mixed feeding at 10 weeks is great, keeping him on one type of feed and staying on medication is the best thing you can be doing for your baby.
I wanted to find out if mix feeding my baby increases his chances being infected. I started mixed feeding him after he was 7 weeks but I stopped when he was about 10 weeks as it was advised at the clinic. Are the chances high?