HIV positive mother: health risks and what to do to keep my baby safe?

Most of us think that HIV / AIDS is a fatal disease, and a woman with HIV should not become pregnant. However, today, with the advancement of medicine, HIV-infected pregnant women not only give birth safely, but babies are also less at risk of infection .

Pregnancy is a difficult, challenging but also extremely happy journey. For mothers who unfortunately are infected with HIV, the journey is even more difficult with many worries from health to their baby's future.

aFamilyToday Health will provide you with the necessary knowledge to be able to take care of yourself during 9 months of pregnancy.

HIV / AIDS - The disease has no cure

HIV is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ( AIDS ). This virus has the ability to gradually disrupt the immune system and make you more susceptible to common diseases that the immune system can fight off such as pneumonia , cancer and many other opportunistic infections.

Many people still mistakenly believe that HIV and AIDS are similar. The reality is not like that. A person can get HIV for many years without getting AIDS. People infected with HIV when they detect this virus in the blood through a test. However, it is only after symptoms appear and the immune system is broken that an infected person is considered AIDS. Therefore, AIDS is considered the last stage of HIV.

Unlike viral flu, HIV is not spread through casual contact or through food and water. It is spread through three main ways:

Sex (most common)

Through blood

From mother to child across the placenta or breast milk.

Factors that increase the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Number of viruses: This is the most important factor. The rate of transmission is 1% if the amount of HIV in the mother's blood is less than 400 / ml. However, if the amount of virus in the mother's blood is more than 100,000 / ml, the rate of transmission will increase to 30%.

Preterm birth : Infants born prematurely are four times more likely to become infected with HIV.

Breastfeeding: If you breastfeed while you have HIV, the chance your baby will get infected is about 30%.

Medical intervention: Some medical procedures performed during childbirth such as forcep use and invasive fetal monitoring can increase the risk of transmission of the virus from mother to child.

What are the risks for pregnant women infected with HIV?

For the health of the mother

The mother is at high risk of infection. In addition, you are also prone to pregnancy complications such as labor before the due date, high blood pressure, diabetes.

For your baby's health

An HIV-infected mother can pass the virus to her baby. In addition, the infections that a mother gets can be passed on to the baby and can be life threatening. Not only that, all functions on the baby's body can also be affected.

How is HIV transmitted from mother to child?

HIV can be transmitted from mother to baby through the placenta and breast milk in the following stages:

Transmission is in an early stage

Chewing is a strong barrier between maternal and baby blood. Viruses can hardly cross this wall to enter the baby's body. However, in the early stages, when a fertilized egg is attached to the uterus and the placenta is in the process of forming, the virus takes this opportunity to come into contact with the fetus and enter the baby's body.

During labor

During the time when pregnant women are in labor, HIV viruses are more likely to be transmitted from mother to child.

Transmission during lactation

Many studies have shown that the HIV virus found in breast milk and breastfed infants is at a very high risk of contracting this virus.

Does caesarean section reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child?

According to statistics, if an HIV-infected mother gives birth to a child by cesarean section , the risk of infection is about 50%. In particular, this risk is reduced to 87% if a cesarean section is combined with HIV treatment with antiviral drugs.

How can I prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV virus?

Here are some of the measures currently in place to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV:

Take a combination antiviral during pregnancy

Give birth by cesarean section if the test results show that the HIV viral load in the mother's blood increases

Maintain antiviral medication even during labor and delivery if needed

Give your baby antivirals after birth

Do not breastfeed your baby.

If you follow these guidelines strictly, up to 99% of HIV-infected pregnant women will not transmit it to the baby.

Notes for Caregivers of HIV-Infected Pregnant Women

During the care of an HIV-infected pregnant woman, the doctor and patient's family member should note the following:

Let pregnant women use some personal belongings such as face towels, towels, toothbrushes, tongue scrapers, nail clippers, needles ...

Wear rubber gloves when caring for open wounds for pregnant women, avoid direct contact.

Tools such as towels, clothes ... that have got blood on them should be soaked in Javen water (0.1 - 0.5%) for 30 minutes before washing with soap.

When blood or discharge occurs, caregivers should wash their hands immediately with soap and re-disinfect with alcohol. After handling, relatives of HIV-infected pregnant women should contact a specialized medical center for guidance on measures to prevent infection.

With bloody waste, secretions such as toilet paper, cotton, needles, gauze ... need to put in 2 times a plastic bag, tied before putting in the trash. In addition, relatives of HIV-infected pregnant women should also work with cleaning staff and garbage collectors to classify these types of medical waste with ordinary garbage, avoiding the risk of HIV transmission to others.

In addition, caregivers of HIV-infected pregnant women need to keep the patient's psychology stable as psychological shocks can adversely affect the health of both mother and baby.

Should HIV-infected pregnant women continue to take HIV medicine?

According to experts, even if you are pregnant, treatment should not be stopped. HIV medications can cause common side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, and muscle aches.

In addition, there are also rare complications such as anemia, liver damage, osteoporosis. Some rare cases can also occur, such as affecting the development of the fetus, but if the drug is not used the fetus is at higher risk of acquiring the virus from the mother.

What if the test results show that the baby is infected with HIV after giving birth?

All babies who test positive for HIV need antiviral medication. If your baby cannot drink, the doctor will prescribe an injection. Children will have to take medicine for life and have other treatment regimes like adults.

If you happen to be infected with HIV, share this with your doctor to take appropriate precautions. HIV lowers your immunity, so you should take preventive measures to avoid infection such as maintaining personal hygiene, maintaining a nutritious diet and exercising regularly. This will definitely help you have a healthy pregnancy and a lovely baby.