Question
How risky is an abortion if I am positive?
19 April 2012. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, South Africa.
I am HIV positive and pregnant.
I am thinking of having an abortion, how risky is it?
Answer
I hope you don’t mind if I start off by asking you if there is a particular reason why you want to have an abortion, also known as TOP (termination of pregnancy). Is it because you are worried that the baby may be born positive? If that is the main reason why, then it might be useful for you to know that with access to and correct use of ARVs (anti retroviral treatment for HIV), care and support, many women living with HIV continue to have healthy HIV negative babies.
It may be, however, that you already have the information above and this is a decision you have chosen to go ahead with. In which case, if the abortion is carried out using the right procedures, in a hospital and with the right treatment and care, then it should not carry any more risks than it would for an HIV negative woman.
Finally, having a termination and having a baby when you are HIV positive are your decisions and your right. As you are based in South Africa, you may find it helpful to read TAC’s (Treatment Action Campaign) guide to Pregnancy in our lives. Section 1.45 has more information on the principles affecting decisions about TOP.
Best wishes
Hi Tabeth,
Having an abortion won’t have any impact on your viral load. Your HIV will stay under control.
Hi am tabeth
I am giving+ I have a viral load below 30cells/mmol. Am on treatment, had an abortion at 1week pregnancy. Can my viral load increase due to an abortion?
Hi Busi,
As Angelina says here, I hope you don’t mind if we ask you if there is a particular reason why you want to have an abortion?
Please let us know where you live. If you live in South Africa you can contact the Treatment Action Campaign. They can help with local support.
Do you have access to HIV treatment? Please let us know about your CD4 count and viral load results.
Hi, I think I’m a week pregnant and I don’t want a baby, how safe is it for an abortion
Hi Deb,
To know if the abortion was successful you’ll need to seek medical help. You being on ARVs won’t have any effect on a pregnancy or abortion.
Hi
Am hiv + and 3 weeks pregnant. I took an abortion pill misoprostol and later took my arv. Am not feeling any cramps but bleeding just a little. Could the arv be the cause or the abortion wasn’t successful?
Hi Jane,
Can you talk to the clinic about terminating your pregnancy? I hope they are able to give advice about the safest way for you. Do you live in South Africa? You could contact the Treatment Action Campaign for advice.
Hi,im hiv positive n im 2mnths pregnant and honestly i dnt want to have another baby as i have 3 children so i want to terminate wat are the best pill tha i can take I still take my ARV
Hi Angela,
Due to you being pregnant its really important that you restart medication. Its the ARVs that will reduce the risk of transmission to your child as well as control your HIV. Please see here: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
When you go back to the clinic please let them know that you’d defaulted. They should ideally do a CD4 count, viral load test as well as a resistance test.
I’m hiv positive but stopped taking medication in April/ I’m now one month pregnant. I want to know if I go back to medication is my unborn baby be infected?