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 my babies neravapine has ran out at 3 weeks I haven’t given him for a week now as I’m staying very far from a clinic..my viral load is undetectable and I’m breastfeeding.. can I infect my baby? Please I’m worried
Noreen hi am HIV positive and also breastfeeding but I started giving my child nvp four days after birth will these bring problems to my child am also taking my HIV medicine well am scared
Hi Noeline, congratulations on having a baby. It is great that both you and baby are on medication. This will keep the risk of transmission as low as possible.
Is baby still on nvp now? and are you only breastfeeding?
You are doing everything correct and you do not need to be scared. HIV positive women all over the world go on to have healthy HIV negative babies. Being on treatment is what best reduces this risk yourself. Giving baby nvp a few days late is not going to have much significant impact on their risk.
Hi Lizz, it is great that you and baby are now on treatment. Has baby had any tests? and how have you been recommended to feed baby?
As you have not been on treatment, it would be advised to only formula feed at this point. Formula feeding would remove any further risk of HIV transmission via breastmilk. Is this something that you would be able to consider?
If you are still mixed feeding, both you and baby being on treatment will help to prevent this transmission risk and after 6 months there is no additional risk to mixed feed.
Please don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know and you are now doing everything right to help prevent transmission. Woman find out their status late like yourself and it is still more common to go on to have healthy, HIV negative children.
Hi I am lizz
During my months pregnancy I’ve tested negative on hiv… 3months after my baby is born just found am hiv positive and I’ve been mixe feeding my baby the whole time… It’s hard now that my baby is used to the formula.. It’s her first day takin (nvp) and novatrim and my first day on arvs.. What are the chances that my baby is infected and bcz I didn’t know, I have low breast milk.. And my bby cannot sleep without me breastfeeding her to sleep…. Please help me.. Both breastmilk and formula are good. But am scared to infect my baby…. It’s sad I tryed to give her only my breastmilk she cryed untill I gave her the formula she stoped crying…. She’s so young I blame myself…. Please help
Hi Angela, congratulations on having a baby. The enlarged lymph nodes does not mean your baby has HIV. With baby being on NVP and yourself having a viral load below 20, it makes the risk of transmission extremely small.
The risk is further reduced as baby is being formula fed. At 6 weeks the result will be conclusive of baby’s status as they are not being breastfed.
How is baby in general? Enlarged lymph nodes are very common in children and in most cases will resolve by themselves. If the lymph nodes do not go down/you remain concerned, you can take baby to have a check-up with the doctor.
Good day
My baby is 2 weeks old and on viropon(nvp), he has enlarged lymph nodes behind his ears. Does this mean he is infected? I have been feeding him formula since day 1. He will be tested at 6 weeks, not sure if he was tested at birth as the results were not shared with me by the hospital. I have a viral load of <20 copies.
Hi Priscilla, where do you live? In most countries it isn’t recommended to continue with nvp after 6 weeks (in a few countries after 12).
Are you on treatment yourself? and what is your viral load?
Usually a drug called co-trimoxazole is used while breastfeeding instead of nevirapine. Co-trimoxazole is used to prevent other infections that could be passed on via breastmilk. Nevirpaine does not do this.
My baby is 3 months old and the doctor said i should continue giving her nvp until 6 month why is that?and a only breastfeeding.
Hi Rosetta, congratulations on having a baby. Yes you can give baby Gripe water. As they are older than one month it is safe to give baby this. There is not an interaction between Gripe water and nevirapine.
Please see this previous question for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/17697