Question
Do I continue ARVs after my pregnancy?
22 August 2011. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, Starting treatment.
Hi guys. I am hiv + and 37 weeks pregnant. I am so scared as I don’t know what to expect. I am currently taking aspen lamzid (AZT/3TC) and Aluvia (lopinavir/r), will I be required to continue with the medication after my baby is born?
My cd4 is 480 and I only started taking medication after I found out that I was pregnant.
The med was giving me diarhea in the beginning, will this affect my baby or will the med do the same to my infant? Please help as am worried.
Answer
Hi
Great news about your pregnancy – and great that you were diagnosed in time to start treatment. The ARVs will dramaticially reduce the risk of your baby catching HIV.
All treatment is individualised. Whether ot not you continue treatment after the pregnancy will depend on many things.
This includes your CD4 count when you started treatment, how you feel about continuing treatment, and sometimes on the guidelines for the country where you live.
Diarrhoea is a common side effects of the Aluvia and other meds but will not affect the health of your baby.
Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy. See also this guide about HIV, women’s health and pregnancy.
Hi Tandaza,
It’s very important not to take any other medicines with your ARVs unless your doctor has said this is OK. Some traditional medicines may interact with your ARVs and make them less effective which could increase the chance of your baby being infected. It’s important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any traditional medicines.
hi
i’m also taking ARVs and24 weeks pregnant. At home was given traditional medicine to take during pregnancy for protection. I haven’t started this medication since I don’t want to mix it with the ARVs,bt I need this protection. Hepl me please.
Hi Thembi,
If you’ve lost a lot of weight without trying to it’s important to talk to your doctor about this. Sometimes weight loss can be caused by an illness or a side effect of treatment so it’s important to get a medical opinion. Your CD4 count is very good though which suggests that your immune system is doing well. You can also talk to your doctor about stopping centrum because usually this is only needed if your CD4 is 200 or below.
M on alluvia ,lamzid n centrum trying to get pregnant , I’ve lost lot of weight since I started this regime,cn I b worrired. My cd 4 was very low bt nw is 450 .Is it ok.?
Hi,
I’m sorry, I’m not sure what your question is?
Your CD4 count is very good. ARVs are given to pregnant women, even with high CD4 counts, to prevent their babies being infected with HIV.
Hello, I am pregnant and my CD4 is 1005 and its approximately that high for the past six years… The doctor put me on arv’s… Is there really?
Hello Namhla,
If you are worried about side effects you need to talk to your doctor. At i-Base we’re not doctors and we can’t diagnose side effects online.
Hi
I am also concerned I am 30weeks pregn and I am on Aluvia and didivir meds, my cd4 is 587 but I want to know that the side-effects that I have currently are they caused by the meds that I am taking or is because I am using, the drugs for the second time. on my previous pregnany I was also on drugs but I stoped them when I give birth, so now what is going to happen am I goinng to have more and side effect cause it’s been a trauma since, I have started this second time.
please advice
These three drugs should be enough. Lamzid contains AZT and 3TC and Aluvia contains lopinavir boosted by ritonavir.
If you have access to a viral load test, your viral load when you come to give birth is the most important result. As long as your viral load is undetectable, and perhaps even as long as it is low (less than 1000 copies/mL) the risk to your baby is also very low.
Checking viral load during the pregnancy is important as sometimes drugs levels of Aluvia are reduced during the last three months. If your viral load becomes detectable then increasing the dose of Aluvia (from 2 tablets twice-daily to three tablets twice-daily) should overcome this.
Hi im 38 weeks pregnant and taking aspen lamzid and aluvia. My question is when i go into labour doo i have to take another drug or is what im on enough? Thaks