Question
I am pregnant, can I take Tribuss?
31 July 2012. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, South Africa.
Hi Doc. I am 12 weeks pregnant and HIV positive. My doctor prescribed Tribuss for me.
My problem is when I refer from the leaflets it says for pregnant women Tribuss are not recommended so now I’m scared if my unborn baby will be safe or what.
Please help with your advice I’m confused. Thanks.
Answer
Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy. How are you doing generally? Are you in touch with other women living with HIV? Many find it helpful to share experiences of being HIV positive and pregnant.
I would just like to start off by confirming that we are HIV positive treatment advocates, not doctors.
In response to your question, Tribuss contains the drugs efavirenz, FTC and tenofovir. It is a combination that is now used by many HIV positive pregnant women worldwide.
I can appreciate your confusion especially as 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 may find it helpful to read our guide to HIV pregnancy and women’s health. The guide answers a lot of general questions you may have around HIV and pregnancy.
You may also find it helpful to contact TAC (Treatment Action Campaign). TAC are based in South Africa and support people living with HIV. They will be able to put you in contact with support groups near you.
Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy.
Hi,
I’m HIV positive and have been using tribuss for almost 5 years now, I was given a new medication called Telatri 28 but I’ve went through it’s leaflet and read that it’s not recommended for pregnant/breastfeeding women or planning to get pregnant. My partner and I are planning to have a baby but I’m now sceptical about this, I don’t know if it’s going to be safe for me to have a baby right after changing my medication.
Please advise
Hi Mbally,
Odimune and Triolar are both generic versions of Atripla, what this means is that they contain the same compounds, please see here: https://i-base.info/guides/1561 In countries where Atripla is widely used, it’s common to be given different generic versions of Atripla.
Odimune and triolar is a same pill
Hi Merlot,
How long have you been taking ARVs? What’s your CD4 count history? Do you know what your viral load is?
I am 7 months pregnant and been on different HIV treatment when I was diagnosed my Cd4 count was 234 and I take my pills daily bt it grows slowly. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Sihle,
It’s OK to take Atripla when you’re pregnant, it won’t have an impact on your baby. As you’re new to meds and pregnant you might find the following helpful: https://i-base.info/guides/starting and https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I just recently found out that am pregnant and HIV positive and my doctor prescribed ATRIPLA as I was going through it I understood that it is not recommended for pregnant women ?
Hi Gu,
Congratulations on your pregnancy. It’s great that you’re on Tribuss because this can reduce your viral load to undetectable. Being undetectable looks after your own health and it can also reduce the risk of your baby becoming HIV positive to almost zero.
But it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about taking supplements to make sure they don’t interact with your treatment. Having a good balanced diet can help you get the vitamins and minerals you need.
42 hiv positive and pregnant on tribuss what are the odds also taking preg -omega tablets since 3 weeks
Hi – please see this age and the link for further information.
https://i-base.info/qa/11982