Question
My CD4 count is low. Can I have a baby?
7 June 2012. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Pregnancy.
I am 29 years old. I am HIV positive and have been taking ARVs for 5 years.
I want a child but my chances of having a baby are scarce because my CD4 count is low.
What must I do to increase my CD4 cells? Please help me.
Answer
Having a low CD4 count alone should not stop you from having a baby. Many women living with HIV who have a low CD4 count have gone on to have babies.
The most important factor in having a healthy HIV negative baby is having an undetectable viral load by the time you deliver. Please follow this link to our guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health. The guide answers a lot of general questions you may have around planning your pregnancy.
I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions before I respond to your second question. This will enable me to give you a more comprehensive answer.
You mention that you have been on treatment for 5 years and that your CD4 count is low. Can I ask how low your CD4 count is? Do you also know what your viral load is? And a finally, do you remember what your CD4 count was when you started taking ARVs (antiretroviral treatment for HIV)?
I can appreciate you are concerned that it is taking long for your CD4 count to increase. This is not uncommon. The rate at which CD4 counts increase is usually related to how low they got before you started treatment. Most people see an increase their CD4 count within a year of starting treatment.
However, if your CD4 count was quite low to begin with it could take you much longer to see more of an increase in your CD4 count. Please follow this link to our guide to An introduction to combination therapy for more detailed information on the rate at which average CD4 counts increases over the years,
Your third question was regarding what you can do in order to increase your CD4 count. By taking ARVs, you are already doing the best you can. This is because, ARVs are the only proven way of not only achieving and maintaining an undetectable viral load, it is the only way of increasing your CD4 count.
Good luck with your future plans.
How many months or years does HIV have to be in our body before our cd4 counts drops to 70?
Hi
Recommendations are different in different countries on the way to feed your baby. This is because the risk from other infections, including when it is difficult to use formula feed.
The nevirapine will be reducing the risk to your baby, but there will still be some risk if your viral load is now detectable.
Please talk to your nurse and doctor about your concerns as they will be able to explain this for the area where you live.
My CD4 count is 640 and am not taking ARVs. I am breastfeeding and my baby is on nevirapine. Is she at risk?
Hi Chile,
Has this happened, or are you asking if there is a way to do this?
This would be very unusual but could happen if your first test result was taken during ‘primary infection’. The CD4 count naturally drops when you are first infected and then increases as your body first fights back against the infection. It you were infected a few weeks or months before your first CD4 test this could be one explanation for this increase.
It is also possible that this could be a test mix up. In the UK an unexpected test result would usually be checked with another test.
Can my cd4 count increase fron 596 to 1200 without treatment?
Yes my husband started treatment on april 2012.
Hi Chile,
596 is a very strong CD4 count, most treatment guidelines don’t recommend starting treatment until your CD4 count is under 350.
If your husband’s CD4 count is 70 he is at risk of getting ill. Is he currently on treatment?
My cd4 count is 596 is it bad?
Hi Chile,
Is your husband on treatment? It’s very important that he starts treatment soon if he is not already. o. While your CD4 count is this low you are at risk of developing opportunistic infections like pneumonia and TB. The only way to boost your CD4 count is to take antiretroviral treatment (ARVs).
Please follow this link for more information about Your CD4 count and the risk of becoming ill
Making love to your husband will not affect his CD4 count. Please follow this link for information about the risks of unprotected sex when you’re both positive.
I and my husband r h i v +,and my cd4 count cells is 596 nd my husbands own is 70,shuld i stop makin love with him order not to worsen my own.