Question
Have I risked transmitting HIV to my child?
24 November 2022. Related: All topics, Children, HIV transmission, Newly diagnosed.
I recently tested positive. I may have exposed my wife who is breastfeeding our little boy of 11 months. My wife is probably still seroconverting. What are our chances and risk of exposing the little child?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Congratulations on having a child. Have you started treatment? and has your wife and child now been tested for HIV?
As you cannot directly pass on HIV to your son, there is a reduced risk of transmission. Your wife will need to test positive and then your son transmit HIV via breastmilk. As this requires a number of factors that influences HIV transmission, risk is low. But testing and prevention is required.
If you have started treatment, soon there will be no risk of transmission to your wife. Treatment suppresses HIV and prevents transmission via sex. While waiting for treatment to work, condoms can prevent transmission. Living in the same environment as your son does not risk transmission and you can continue to be involved with looking after him.
Josh.
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