Question
Can I have an HIV negative baby?
9 January 2022. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission, Pregnancy.
I’m a pregnant women, 28 years old living with HIV. My problem is my CD4 count is 347 and my viral load is 170. What are the chances of my child being infected with HIV during birth and now during pregnancy? I’m 8 months pregnant.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Congratulations on your pregnancy, The chances of having an HIV negative child are very high. It is much more common for mothers to give birth to HIV negative babies than positive. Your CD4 count and viral load mean you are considered ‘low risk’ and this will change how long your baby will be on medication after birth.
How long have you been taking medication? Being on ARVs during your pregnancy will have reduced this risk the most. After birth your baby will then have their own ARVs for a short while to prevent any further risk.
Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy,
Josh.
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