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 Marry, congratulations on your pregnancy. No. It is not too late to start treatment. Baby will be given their own medication to help prevent transmission. This is explained here: https://i-base.info/qa/19891
Hi am Marry.
I am 34 weeks pregnant and tested positive. My cd4 count is 584,is it too late to start my meds, is my baby infected yet.
Hi lungile, congratulations on having a baby. No, you do not need to worry. Many women all over the world find out their status late and go on to have healthy HIV negative children. It is important that you do still breastfeed. Baby will be given their own medication to protect them from HIV and other infections.
As you found out late in your pregnancy, it is likely baby will be given their medication longer than most to help prevent them contracting HIV. How have you been getting on with breastfeeding?
Hi I am Lungile
I started arvs at 34 weeks and today I am in labour and I am 37 weeks pregnant. Should I be worried about my baby?
Should I breast feed my baby atleast for few days while at the hospital and change to formula milk when I get home?
Hi Lungile, I am sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. How are you doing? No, your baby will not already have HIV. Have you started HIV mediation? Even starting so late in your pregnancy this will reduce risk of transmission. Baby will also be offered medication after birth. Many women find out late in their pregnancy that they are HIV positive and go on to have healthy, HIV negative children.
Hi am Lungile
I found out that am positive at 34 weeks and started arvs at 34 weeks pregnant. Will my baby be already infected with hiv?
Hi Londeka, congratulations on your pregnancy. If you are vomiting your medication, both you and baby will be at risk of complications from HIV. It is possible your baby will be HIV positive. What time are you taking your medication? It is important to stay on your medication for yours and your baby’s health. Do you think there is anything you could try to help you stop vomiting your medication?
I am 28 weeks pregnant I am taking arv’s but if take arv’s I vomiting and I stop taking them. Is my baby will be positive.
Hi Zusiphe,
Your viral load is basically undetectable, this is a good thing. When someone has an undetectable viral load the risk to babies is greatly reduced. There’s a section in this guide that gives detailed info about this: https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy It specifically discusses in utero transmission, which is rare when on effective treatment.
Hi, my viral load is 58copies from 43000 and I started treatment at 7th month (28weeks) now I’m 38 weeks and I’ve been wondering when does the blood crosses plancenta during pregnancy is it during earlier stages of pregnancy or last weeks of pregnancy?? I am just stressed that my viral load may have dropped by more than 2log but my baby may be infected already in the womb the stress is too much . My question is when or how does this process likely to happen for a blood to cross plancenta .