1. HIV During Pregnancy
If you have HIV and become pregnant you must treat the condition to protect your unborn child. Your baby can become HIV positive during your pregnancy, during the birth or if you breastfeed (perinatal transmission). With treatment, you can decrease the chance of passing HIV to your baby to less than 2 percent.
2. Stay Healthy During Your Pregnancy
One of the best ways to decrease the chance your baby will get HIV is to stay as healthy as possible. Don't smoke and enter rehab if you're a substance abuser. If you're malnourished or have a Vitamin A deficiency, your chances of passing HIV to your baby increase. Speak to your doctor about changing your diet and taking supplements. STDs also increase the risks to your child, so ask your doctor about treatments to address the issue.
3. Take Anti-HIV Drugs
Your doctor will recommend some form of anti-HIV drugs to decrease your viral load. He may prescribe ZDV (Zidovudine or AZT or Retrovir) during your second trimester. While there are some side effects from this drug, you must continue to take it throughout your pregnancy. If the symptoms are unbearable, speak to your care provider.
4. Precautions During Birth
Since you can pass HIV to your baby through contaminated blood and bodily fluids, your care provider must take extra care during your delivery. You should avoid amnotomies (rupturing the bag of water), internal monitors and episiotomies. You also consider delivering via a cesarean birth, as this may decrease the chance of passing HIV onto your baby. You should get some form of ZDV during your labor to decrease the chance of passing HIV to your baby.
5. What to Expect After Birth
After the birth, your infant will continue to receive ZDV for six weeks. Expect testing for your baby. If your baby is HIV positive, treatment must begin immediately. Speak to your care provider or a lactation counselor if you want to breastfeed, and you're HIV positive.
