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 name is Tebogo,I’ve been taking HIV medication since from 2022 and now I have a newborn and they gave her nevirapine syrup and adco-zidovudine syrup.
I took my child to clinic for 6 weeks checkup but they didn’t stop the medication.
How long is she gonna take this medication because I thought is gonna be only 6 weeks?
Dear Hazel. congratulations on your new baby – it sounds like your have been doing everything right. Your meds will also be the best way to have protected your baby from HIV. This makes it really likely that your baby will not have HIV.
I found out that I was Hiv positive at 3 months of pregnancy and started treatment immediately. When I had my baby I breastfed him for only 2 days then started formula feeding, have I put my baby at risk of contracting hiv?
Hello Sassy and many thanks for the question.
Congratulations on the new baby. You must be very happy.
Colics are very common in babies so young. So please don’t worry.
Your baby is very young to be given over the counter medication.
It’s best to discuss with your midwife or doctor about how to help the baby when they have colics.
Hello
I am HIV positive and my baby was given AZT and Nevirapine at birth. And now my baby is 6 weeks but AZT was stopped. I only give her Neverapine and breadmilk but my baby is having diarrhea and look like she is having stomach pains. Should I be worried? What can be the cause? Can give my baby other medication like panado and others?. I am scared.
Hello Tshidi and thank you for the question.
Congratulations on the new baby – you must be very happy.
The best results are when mother and child both receive treatment.
Why haven’t you been able to take your medication? Have you been unwell?
Some times babies can be a very hard job in the first months, and a lot of new mums need help.
Do you have any support?
Would you like to discuss more and send us some details?
Please email us here: questions@i-base.org.uk or respond to this comment
I skipped my treatment for 6 days and I’m breastfeeding. My child is taking nevirapine. Is there any possibility that she caught HIV within these last 6 days?
Hello and thank you for the question.
I am guessing that the syrup you were given was an antiretroviral medication which prevents vertical transmission.
This would indeed protect your baby. It is equally important that you take your medication as your doctor told you.
Do you remember the name of the syrup?
Hi, I discovered that I was HIV positive the time I was pregnant and I therefore started treatment. After i got my baby, I was given a syrup that i had to give her for as long as i was breastfeeding her. Does that syrup decrease the chances of transmission from a mother to a baby?
Hi Ayanda, please use Google translate to ask your question in English.