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 Lalah, congratulations on having a baby. It is great to hear that he is healthy and strong.
Baby being given nevirapine and zidovudine is great to help reduce the risk of transmission. As baby had been foruma fed it means that you have limited baby’s exposure to HIV. This reduces the risk even further.
It is important to check baby’s status. I recognise that it can be scary but being aware of his status is the best way to look after him. Being on treatment and formula feed means you made sure he has a low risk of transmission. After this test you will be able to have his status confirmed.
Have you restarted treatment yourself?
Hi lalah I’m 26 years
I stopped taking Arvs while iwas 3months pregnant because of some certain resons,ithen gave birth they gave him Nevarapin and zidovudine for six weeks I’m scared to check his status he is now 18months healthy and strong Idon’t breast feed he’s on formula from birth till now
Hi Melissa, congratulations on your pregnancy. No this does not mean that your baby is already HIV positive.
Many women find out their status later in pregnancy and starting treatment as soon as you can reduces the risk of transmission greatly.
At 24 weeks there is still more than 10 weeks where you can be on treatment and help to prevent transmission to baby. Baby will also be given their own treatment for a short while after birth to reduce this risk further.
This is explained here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/infant-meds-when-the-mother-is-living-with-hiv
Many women all over the world find out their status during pregnancy, and with treatment more than 99% of these women will go on to have healthy, HIV negative children.
Hi
I’m 24 weeks pregant and just started ART treatment the nurse put me on Teltari … is my baby already HIV postive or is there still a change he might be born negative?
Hi Natasha, congratulations on your pregnancy. It is great to hear how well you are doing on treatment.
Are you on any other treatment? Navara is a generic name for nevirapine and this is a drug usually given to baby after being born. Regardless of your viral load, it is still important for baby to still take this for a few weeks after being born.
This is explained more here: https://i-base.info/qa/19891
Hi I’m I have been HIV positive since i was born I’m 28 years old no so I’m now 27 weeks pregnant and my viral load is lower then detectable so is it necessary for me to still take Navara pin to protect my baby from being infected?
Hi Zama, Telatri is safe during pregnancy. You do not need o switch. All HIV treatments are safe to be taken during pregnancy and when breastfeeding.
Hi I am hiv positive and taking Telatri but I recently found out that I am 1 month pregnant and the nurse at the clinic told me that it is not safe for me to take Telatri as I am pregnant so I had to switch to Atroiza. I just want to find out if Telatri is really safe or not during pregnancy. Thanks
Hi Lydia, it is very likely that your son will be HIV negative. As both of you have been on treatment and you are undetectable means the risk of transmission is very small. Many women who are HIV positive breastfeed and have HIV negative children. It is important to test to make sure of his status but the risk of being positive is very small in your case.
I have been breastfeeding for a year, and my boy was on medication until he turned one, I’m also on medication, my viral load is lower than detectable. I’m scared to test my son, can he be negative I mean what are his chances?