Question
I started treatment at 6 months of pregnancy, will my baby be positive?
4 October 2016. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Pregnancy, South Africa, Starting treatment.
I am 8 months pregnant but found out that I am HIV positive at 6 months and started my medication from there. My CD4 count is 261. Is it possible that my baby can be born HIV positive?
Answer
Hi,
Thanks for your question. Congratulations on your pregnancy.
It is good you have started treatment, it will protect your health and your baby’s health.
Even at 28 weeks (a late diagnosis) some women who start treatment immediately and get an undetectable viral load by the time of delivery can have normal birth and a negative baby.
As you started treatment at 24 weeks you a very good chance of not transmitting HIV to your baby. Without treatment, there is about a 1 in 3 chance (30%). With treatment and an undetectable viral load, the risk drops to about 1 in 100 (1%).
Please see our guide on pregnancy for more information.
Hi Domovsky, congratulations on your pregnancy. Yes you can start your treatment now and it will still have a huge impact on preventing transmission to baby.
Even with only a few weeks of treatment before birth, the risk of transmission can significantly be reduced. Baby will also be given their own treatment for a short while after birth.
Treatment for baby is explained further here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/infant-meds-when-the-mother-is-living-with-hiv
Hello…. I am 6 to 7 months pregnant and I never took my ARVs for certain reasons…. Will my baby be negative if I start with the treatment now?
Hi Jozzy, how long after your sister takes her medication does she vomit? and what is the name of the treatment she has been taking?
has she been to see a doctor about any treatment to help her stop feeling sick?
As she is pregnant it is possible this is morning sickness caused by pregnancy. How was she with treatment before being pregnant?
My sister is 4 months pregnant and she is hiv positive but anytime she takes her hiv drugs, she feels sick, she will vomit all morning till afternoon.
She also gets diarrhoea and body weakness
Hi Sindy, missing 2 days of treatment is very unlikely to cause any problems. Most HIV has a long half life. This means it remains working in the body for a bit longer than 24 hours.
Are you undetectable? If you are, viral load can take a week or more before it starts to rebound. This means that missing your medication for 2 days is not going to risk your viral load increasing. As there would be no risk of your viral load increasing, it also means missing your treatment does not increase the risk of transmission to baby.
What will happen if u skip ARVS FOR.2 DAYS DURING PRWGNACY?
Hi Lindou, it is great that you have recently started treatment. Have you had recent viral load/CD4 tests? Starting treatment is the best way to keep you and baby healthy. Having not started earlier will not increase the risk of transmission. Being on medication now is the most important thing. Please follow this link for more information: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/infant-meds-when-the-mother-is-living-with-hiv
Hi I tested HIV positive 8 years ago and never took the treatment, I started taking the treatment after three months of my pregnancy, will my baby be safe?
Hi Sli, congratulations on your pregnancy.
Yes you are right. Starting treatment will significantly reduce the risk of transmission to your baby. It will also help your with your own health. There is no risk to baby for starting HIV treatment.
Hi i am 3 weeks pregnant and i found out that i am hiv positive . Starting treament will reduce the risk of my baby ?