Question
How long do I have to give my new baby medicine?
13 April 2024. Related: All topics, Children, Pregnancy.
Hi I’m positive and have a low viral load. My baby was given nevirapine and AZT medicine. Can I stop giving my child these medicines after one week?
Answer
Hi there
Congratulations on your new baby – this is great news.
Please listen to the advice from your doctors though.
Even with a low viral load – and it sounds like this might not quite be undetectable – it is important that your baby continues to also benefit from treatment.
Different countries recommend slightly different treatments and for different times, but in all countries babies use meds for at least 6 weeks.
The info at this link suggests that your baby might need meds for 12 weeks or more.
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/infant-meds-when-the-mother-is-living-with-hiv
This time will soon pass though and the meds will protect your baby until it is okay to stop. The meds are really safe and really effective for your baby – just like they are for you.
Please talk to your clinic so they can also reassure you about this,
Hi Tasha, thanks and congratulations on your new baby. Babies do not need anything other than milk for about the first six months and so at four months he is getting close to the time when the puree will be okay.
However, this is your baby and your mother in law should respect your rifghts for how you want to feed him.
It is great news that the tests have been negative and the puree on a few days will not have changed anything. You are doing everything really well.
Although the baby doesn’t need puree yet for another few months this won’t affect the risk of HIV because your are using formula milk.
The HIV risk from earlier solids is only if you were breastfeeding.
https://www.imperial.nhs.uk/-/media/website/patient-information-leaflets/maternity-services/postanatal-care/hiv-and-breastfeeding-your-baby.pdf
Hello there. I’m HIV positive with undetectable viral load. I have birth 4 months ago and have been formula feeding my baby from birth till this moment. At 6 weeks he was tested and was negative.
My question is my mother in law is insisting he should start eating purees. And gave him for 2 days. Is he at risk for being positive even after tested negative at 6 weeks. Can I go on and continue the purées will it affect my baby to become positive?
Like I said I he was tested negative at 6 weeks. And I have been very careful all through. Until this 2 days of giving purées.