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Our Expert on Pregnancy and Child Birth
Q: I am HIV positive and pregnant. Can I infect my baby?Ask Our Expert About HIV and Pregnancy
About Our ExpertTimothy Friel, M.D. is clinical director of Lehigh Valley Health Network's AIDS Activities Office.
Q: I am HIV positive and pregnant. Can I infect my baby?A: Having a baby can be stressful. But, if you’re pregnant and infected with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), you have even more worries. You can rest easier knowing it’s possible for women with HIV to give birth to healthy, uninfected babies. A pregnant woman has a 1-in-4 chance of infecting her unborn baby. Taking medication for HIV during pregnancy reduces your viral load – the amount of virus in your blood. With these medications, the risk of transmitting the virus to your child can be reduced to less than 1 percent. This means you need good care early in your pregnancy and should talk to your doctor about treatments, delivery options (in some situations, C-sections can decrease the risk of transmission during delivery) and breastfeeding. Together, you and your doctor can develop a plan to prevent transmitting HIV to your baby. Q: What are my delivery options?A: During labor, the baby passes through the birthing canal and can be exposed to your blood and genital secretions, where the virus is found. If your viral load is greater than 1,000 copies/milliliter, there’s a higher risk of transmission to your baby during vaginal delivery. A cesarean section (c-section) before labor is recommended to reduce transmission. If your viral load is undetectable, a vaginal delivery is safe for your baby. Any baby born to a mother with HIV will be offered anti-HIV medications for six weeks to reduce the risk of infection. Babies also are tested for the virus soon after birth and again several weeks later. Q: Should I avoid any prenatal procedures?A: To lessen the baby’s exposure to your body fluids, which carry the virus, there are several procedures you should avoid. Talk to your doctor to learn more about them and the increased risk of infecting your baby. Q: Can I breastfeed?A: Women who are infected with HIV should not breastfeed. The virus can be transmitted to your baby through breast milk. Q: Is it safe to be tested for HIV while I’m pregnant?A: Absolutely. In fact, HIV transmission from mother to child is much less common because we are very aggressive about diagnosing it, even during pregnancy. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends all pregnant women be tested. Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network offers routine testing to all pregnant women – even up until their delivery. We are able to get results within 20 minutes with the Ora-Quick Advance HIV test to determine what kind of care and intervention is necessary to reduce the risk of infecting your child. If you test positive for HIV, you will be referred for HIV care and offered medications that can help prevent your newborn from becoming infected. This page last updated 10/15/08 05:30 PM
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