Question
I am pregnant, can I take Tribuss?
28 June 2012. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, South Africa.
Hi
I am currently pregnant (third trimester) and taking Tribuss (efavirenz+FTC+tenofovir).
Could it affect my unborn baby?
I have only been taking it for a week and I am vomiting.
Answer
Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy.
I hope you don’t mind if I start off by asking why you started treatment only a week ago. Is it because you were recently diagnosed?
Your first question was whether the medication you are taking will affect your unborn baby. Tribuss contains the drugs efavirenz, FTC and tenofovir. It is a combination that is now used by many HIV positive pregnant women worldwide. In the past, women wishing to conceive were advised not to use efavirenz, or to switch if they found out they were pregnant whilst taking it.
However, over the past few years, this advice has now changed. Here in the UK, the current UK guidelines for the management of HIV in pregnancy recommend that efavirenz can continue to be used by women considering pregnancy. They also recommend that efavirenz can be used by women diagnosed HIV positive during pregnancy.
There are many reports of women throughout the world who have continued taking efavirenz during pregnancy.
You mention that you are vomiting. Vomiting is not a side effect commonly associated with Tribuss. It could, therefore, be due to any number of reasons, including morning sickness. This is a condition that affects more than half of all pregnant women. Symptoms include vomiting. Although for many women symptoms settle down earlier on in pregnancy.
However, as with any symptoms, the best way to confirm what is causing the vomiting, is to contact your doctor. S/he will be able to confirm the best way to treat you.
In the meantime, you may find it helpful to read our guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health. The guide lists some tips which can help with nausea and vomiting. It also answers a lot of general questions you may have around HIV and pregnancy.
Best wishes.
Hi,
It is great that you have started treatment, this should protect your baby from HIV transmission.
You can find more information about HIV and pregnancy here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m 5 months pregnant and I’m on Odimune I would like to know if my unborn baby will be ok?
Hi,
Congratulations on your pregnancy.
It is good that you are on treatment. Your treatment will help prevent the baby becoming positive. It is also good for your health!
You can find more information on HIV and pregnancy here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hi i’m positive and pregnant, now these pills make me worried. I’m on Tribuss.
Hi Cindy,
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Tribuss contains the same three drugs you were taking before- efavirenz, lamivudine and tenofovir. This combination is very effective at preventing mother to child transmission. So long as you continue to take the treatment throughout pregnancy and are monitored by your doctor it is very unlikely that your baby will be HIV positive. There is more information about HIV and pregnancy in our FAQs. Please have a look there, and let me know if you have any questions.
Hi. I’ve been on arv’s since 2010 and last year october I have found out that I’m pregnant, so I rushed to the clinic and they told me to continue with my medication, which is lamuvadine, efavirenz n tenofovir. I took them as I was told until I went again for my next appointment, then the Dr changed me to Tribuss and I am now 12weeks pregnant. My question is will the pill protect my baby from getting hiv since most of pregnant woman takes navara pill? Thank you in advance….
Hi Carr
Please contact your doctor to talk about both the weight loss and the skin concerns. These are not something we can really help with.
Your doctor needs to see whether there is another reason for the weight loss and also to look at the skin to see whether this is something that needs to be treated.
I was diagnosed with HIV in July and my CD4 count was 249, the doctor put me me on Tribuss, Pubac and Maxivit but since then Ihave been loosing weight, my weight was 60 but now it is 50 kgs. Is there anything wrong with me? worse my skin is no longer the same as before the medication.
Hi Lethabo,
The only way to know your baby’s status is for him to be tested. Please follow this link to our pregnancy guide for more information about HIV testing in babies.
Hi angelina i was 5 months pregnant when i was diagonsed Hiv positive, and my cd4 count was 335, my Dr gave me tribuss. I gave birth to a baby at 37 weeks, the baby was weighing 3,67kg. I chose not to breastfeed him, hes on formular milk even now and Dr prescribe zidovudine for 6 weeks, i gave him at 7 in the morning and 7 in the evening. At 6weeks he was weighing 5.5 kg, at 10 weeks he weigh 6.3 kg, at 14 weeks he weigh 7.6kg, and again now at 26 he’s weighing 9.21 kg. I want to know if my baby is safe from Hiv.