Question
I am HIV positive and pregnant, what are the risks?
7 January 2018. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
I am 32, married and have two children. I am HIV positive and so is my husband. I recently discovered I am pregnant but my husband is furious with me, and has advised me to go for an abortion. I am now debating on what to do as I do not want to go through a pregnancy without the support of my husband. What are the risks in pregnancy when HIV positive?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Congratulations on the pregnancy and I am sorry if this is causing problems with your husband.
Is he upset because he is worried about the child becoming positive? Or because he is worried about your health? Or something else?
Also, are you already taking HIV treatment (ART)? this is because ART is good for both you and your baby’s health.
Many HIV positive women all over the world give birth to healthy negative children using ART. There is no medical reason stopping you from having this baby if you decide you want to continue with the pregnancy.
Also, for your health, HIV positive women are not usually at any further risk of pregnancy-related complications than negative women. As far as the HIV is concerned, most women have a small drop in their CD4 count of about 50, but this goes up again once the baby is born. For more information on this please follow this link.
For general information about HIV, Pregnancy and Women’s Health please see this i-Base guide.
Good luck!
Note: this answer was updated in January 2018 from a question first posted in January 2011.
Hi Hlengiwe,
You’re already doing the best thing possible by being on meds. It’s the meds that will reduce the risk of transmission to your baby. For more info please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hi I’m 24, I’ve been on ART since last year and I’m now pregnant. What do I have to do to protect my baby?
Hi Vovo,
Please see the above post and the following:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m treatment and I think I’m pregnant. Is my baby at risk?
Hi Dorcus,
It’s up to you if you choose to breastfeed your baby or not. If you were in the UK it wouldn’t be advised, and that’s even if you’ve got an undetectable viral load. However, the World Health Organisation recommend that mothers who are on treatment like yourself can breastfeed.
It’s common to be worried about babies. However, you’re already doing the best thing possible because you’re on meds.
For more about HIV and pregnancy, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m 34 and positive, I’ve been on ART since 2012. My viral load is lower than detectable. I found out that I’m pregnant and my husband is negative. I am worried about my baby and must I breast feed after giving birth?
Hi Ayakhe,
Your fiancee not being on meds won’t influence the risk of transmission to your baby. What projects babies is there mothers being on meds, which you are. For more about HIV and pregnancy, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m HIV positive and taking ARVs. My fiancee is also positive, but not on Treatment. We are having unprotected sex. Is there a risk of transmitting the virus to our baby?
Hi Yvoes,
There is a possibility that your first test was a false positive. However, given that you’ve had one positive and one negative and that you’ve a child, I strongly suggest that you should have another test. Only then will you know for sure. When you do, please do it in a clinic, and explain the situation to them.
If you are positive, please get back in touch with us.
Hi am not sure whether am positive or not. When I was tested the first test came out positive, I did a retest and it came out negative, all this happened when I was 7mths pregnant…I delivered safely and breastfeed my daughter without being on medication because I wasn’t sure…Does that mean am positive and so is my daughter?