AIDS: How it can Affect a Pregnancy

When you are HIV-positive or suffer from AIDS and are on the brink of bringing a new person into this world, your apprehensions are bound to overpower your joy. Though there are several repercussions that you face in every way – physically, mentally and emotionally – the good news is that you can have a healthy pregnancy if you maintain all caution and take the requisite steps to prevent transmission of the virus to your child.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV, as it is often called, can be passed on from a mother to her child during pregnancy, child birth or even breastfeeding (that’s of course at a later stage). While being pregnant is a sensitive situation in the case of an HIV or AIDS-infected patent, it can be controlled through the use of certain medications. This step can only be taken if the infection is detected at an initial stage or the woman takes medication through her pregnancy period. In certain cases, even the child is administered HIV medicines for about four to six weeks after he/she is born.

HIV Tests and Medication during Pregnancy

First and foremost, it is advised that every woman who is pregnant or even plans to conceive must get herself checked for HIV. It is better if these tests are conducted before she’s pregnant, but it’s never too late!
If your results are positive, your doctor will prescribe anti-retro viral drugs to reduce the risk of transmitting this virus to the baby. These medicines help patients live a long, healthy life even after diagnosis, so this is a crucial step. Furthermore, you will also be required to go for regular medical check-ups to ensure you and the baby are healthy.

What these medicines generally do is prevent the virus from multiplying, which in turn reduces the overall amount of HIV in the body. This helps in protecting women’s health and automatically lowers the risk of passing HIV to the child. In case you have been diagnosed with HIV a little late during your pregnancy, fret not! You will be given emergency care and extra support to help you make decisions regarding your pregnancy.

In fact, it is believed that some of these medicines transfer from the mother to her child across the placenta, which then protects the baby from infection. In certain cases, the pregnant woman also goes for a C-section to make sure her baby is safe, and the virus is not transmitted during child birth. This is if the infection levels are really high; in case the levels are low, the doctor may suggest a vaginal delivery.

Are HIV medicines safe to use?

Most of the medicines are completely safe to use during pregnancy, and in no way cause birth defects. You can have a detailed discussion with your doctor to learn about the side-effects before ingesting the medicine. These drugs have been used time and again during pregnancy and it has caused no issues in the unborn child. This treatment will also help in strengthening your immune system as well as your child’s.
In fact, the closer you are to your delivery date, it is advisable to have a undetectable viral load. If you take these medicines during the entire pregnancy period, you will have enough time to lower this load and ensure you have a healthy delivery. This is the reason why HIV drugs are extremely crucial during the maternity phase!

Vaginal or C-section delivery: Which is better?

In case you are on HIV treatment and your tests reflect a negligible viral load, you can go for a vaginal delivery. Studies show that a vaginal delivery does not increase the risk of HIV transmission, if the viral load is undetectable. Even if you have gone for a C-section during your previous delivery, you can still go for vaginal delivery.
On the other hand, if you have a high viral load, your doctor will advise you to go for a C-section. What matters is both you and your child’s health and safety and in no way can it be compromised!

Post-delivery care

After your child is born, he/she will be put on HIV treatment for several weeks. Of course, the intensity of the treatment depends on your health during the maternity period. If your viral load was undetectable when you were 36 weeks pregnant or even during delivery, the dose administered to your child will be very low. In case your viral load was medium to high during the same period, your child will have to start the treatment immediately after birth.
All the HIV drugs are not suitable for babies, but your doctor should guide you to choose the best combination. Make sure your baby is tested for HIV several times until he/she turns 18 months. Later, the baby will also have an antibody test to rule out the possibility of an infection from the mother to the child via the umbilical cord. In case your child has HIV (which is rare), treatment will begin to help him/her lead a healthy life.
Yes, we know all this could be a little overwhelming, but a little caution never hurt anyone! After all, there’s no greater joy than motherhood!