Question
I started ARVs at 34 weeks of pregnancy
10 December 2012. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Hello.
I’m pregnant and recently found I’m HIV positive. I started treatment and 32 weeks of pregnancy.
I’m at 36 weeks now. Did I start too late, is my baby already infected?
Answer
Hello,
Thank-you for your email.
I’m sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Finding out you have HIV is never easy, but finding out when your pregnant can be especially hard. Do you have any support?
Although you started treatment quite late in pregnancy this doesn’t mean it won’t work. Treatment with ARVs can reduce your viral load very quickly. This means that there is much less HIV in your body after the first few days or weeks of taking the meds. So you still have a very good chance that your baby will be HIV negative.
Our pregnancy FAQs page and our guide to HIV and pregnancy which has lots more information about HIV and pregnancy. Please do get in touch if you have any questions and best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
Hi Zamile
Thanks for your question – very important.
The risk of the baby becoming HIV positive is directly related to the mother’s viral load at birth.
Unless the viral load is undetectable (less than 50 copies/mL) the risk of transmission is real. In the UK this would involve having an elective C-section for the delivery. This would be the lowest risk to the baby.
Trying to give birth naturally when viral load is detectable carries a high risk for the baby.
HIV treatment is very safe for both the both and the baby and it is very effective. If a mother is on treatment and viral load is still detectable sometimes changing to a new treatment can help.
This guide on HIV and pregnancy has more information:
https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hi, I want to know that is it possible for an HIV positive mother to give birth naturally with viral load of 1000-10000 copies and the baby become negative
Hi Thulisile,
If a child is going to contract HIV it’ll be from their mother, not using condoms won’t have any impact. As long as you’re taking ARVs and your viral load is undetectable the risk to your child will be minimal, please see here: https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m HIV positive and I’m taking Arvs but I have a problem my husband don’t want to use condom is possible that my baby will born with HIV positive
Hi Zandi M,
It’s great to hear that you’ve started medication, not only is this important for you, it’s also important for your baby.
Due to your situation, you should ideally have a specialist team looking after you. Do you have this?
Though you’e started medication very late in pregnancy, it’s still possible to have a negative child. Precautions will however need to be taken. If your viral load remains detectable you’ll need to have a c-section. There’s more about this here: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Though breastfeeding guidelines vary, (in the UK women are advised against breastfeeding) if your viral load is detectable, you’re going to need to use formula. Formula is the safest feeding method as it carries no risk.
I stared arv treatment on 36 weeks pregnant will my baby be born positive
Hi Linda,
Even if you’ve been diagnosed late in pregnancy, it’s still possible to have a negative child. Please see here for more info: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy The important thing is that you adhere to your medication and that you have your viral load routinely tested.
Hi I’m pregnant and i found out I’m HIV positive i started my ARVs at 26 weeks of pregnancy is my baby infected already?
I’m scared
Hi Zodwa,
At the moment no one can say if your child will be positive or not. However, because you’re on ARVs the risk of transmission will be drastically reduced. There’s more about pregnancy here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I pregnant and recently found I’m HIV positive. I started treatment and 14 weeks of pregnancy.my problem my baby is not infected the HIV