There are various ways of lowering the chances of passing HIV to the baby and it is important from pregnant women to take part in a mother to child transmission programme, where a qualified health worker can help the mother with advice on what to do to avoid passing the virus on to her child.
During pregnancy
There have been studies showing that taking ARV treatment during pregnancy can reduce the risk of MTCT. Also, the mother still needs to protect herself if having sex because even if a person is HIV positive, they can be re-infected with the HIV virus, thus increasing the viral load. This would increase the risk of passing the virus on to the baby.
During labour
There is medication which can help to lower the chance of passing HIV to the baby while giving birth. It is important to speak to a health worker to receive advice about this. Also, it is advised not to give birth at home but in a clinic or hospital so that doctors and nurses who are aware that a mother is HIV positive can help to protect the baby from getting infected.
After birth
A mother can also pass on HIV to her baby through breastfeeding. There are different things a mother can do to avoid infecting her child after birth. The baby can exclusively receive milk formula, which has to be done rigorously. The other option is to exclusively breastfeed but only for a certain period of time (usually 6 months). Again, it is best to speak to a health worker to choose what is best for the mother.
Other important things to remember are:
During pregnancy
There have been studies showing that taking ARV treatment during pregnancy can reduce the risk of MTCT. Also, the mother still needs to protect herself if having sex because even if a person is HIV positive, they can be re-infected with the HIV virus, thus increasing the viral load. This would increase the risk of passing the virus on to the baby.
During labour
There is medication which can help to lower the chance of passing HIV to the baby while giving birth. It is important to speak to a health worker to receive advice about this. Also, it is advised not to give birth at home but in a clinic or hospital so that doctors and nurses who are aware that a mother is HIV positive can help to protect the baby from getting infected.
After birth
A mother can also pass on HIV to her baby through breastfeeding. There are different things a mother can do to avoid infecting her child after birth. The baby can exclusively receive milk formula, which has to be done rigorously. The other option is to exclusively breastfeed but only for a certain period of time (usually 6 months). Again, it is best to speak to a health worker to choose what is best for the mother.
Other important things to remember are:
- To make sure to get antenatal care. The government in South Africa offers free health care to pregnant women and it is even more important when a mother is HIV positive to have regular check ups.
- To eat healthily. This is also very important as it keeps the immune system strong.
- To get support and counselling. Many women are facing the same issues and it is helpful to know that one is not alone. Most clinics across the country offer confidential counselling and mother to child transmission programmes and taking part in these can be tremendously helpful. More information on the Mother to Child Transmission programme
HAVING A BABY WHEN YOU ARE HIV POSITIVE
Many HIV Positive people dream of having a baby and they have as much right to a family as anyone. But, if you are positive, babies need careful thought and planning.
If your partner is HIV negative you face the question of how to make a baby without passing on the virus to the person you love. Obviously, getting pregnant requires un-protected sex - unless you can afford the 'test tube' option. So, are there ways to reduce the infection risk involved in conceiving?.
Professor Eddie Mhlanga, head of the School of Maternal, Child and Women's Health at the Nelson R Mandela Medical School in Durban, suggests that couples in this situation should consult a health professional. He also offers a few general pointers on limiting risk.
You should restrict the number of times you have unprotected sex focusing on a few days in the middle of the woman's menstrual cycle when conception is mostly likely. Women can identify this fertile time by checking body temperature daily or simply, as Professor Mhlanga puts it, "getting in touch with their bodies" and noting changes - like tender breasts and increased vaginal moistness. It is wise to make sure neither of you has genital sores or ulcers that could give the virus a short cut into the body. Also, advises the professor, take things gently,avoiding extreme friction during sex. "The main thing is to make sure that the viral load in the postive partner is as low as possible and the immune system is up and running, "he says, Viral load measures the amount of the virus in the blood. When it is
low, the risk of passing on HIV is also lower. There is a blood test that measures viral load.
Many things affect viral load and the state of the immune system - including the stage of infection, your general state of health, control of opportunistic infections and medication.
Anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) can reduce the viral load dramatically if they are taken properly. But, warns Professor Mhlanga, you must really need these drugs because you have advanced AIDS. You cannot take ARV's just to limit the risk in conceiving a baby.
The above advice applies whether the positive partner is male or female.
Expensive methods like 'test tube' fertilisation (combined with sperm washing) and artificial insemination can be used to avoid infection. But few of us can afford them.
If the father is positive and the couple conceives without the mother becoming infected, that is great news. Use condoms throughout the pregnancy and your baby will almost certainly be HIV-free. If the mother is positive, pregnancy and labour must be specially managed to preserve her health and give the baaby a good chance of being born negative.
For more information on HIV and AIDS call the AIDS Helpline 0800 012 322 or
look on the website: www.aidsinfo.co.za
MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION PROGRAMME
As part of their services, Knysna Aids Council supports a Mother to Child
Programme across clinics in Knysna.
Research all over the world has shown, that if a mother and her baby are able to take certain medication, there is a good chance that HIV will not be passed from mother to child if the mother has the HIV virus in her body during pregnancy.
The MTCT programme is all about helping people to get the right medicine at the right time to make sure that more babies are not infected with HIV.
The programme also helps mothers to decide on the best way to feed their babies.
The programme consists of four parts:
Counselling and testing
Medication
Infant Feeding
Testing the Baby
For information about the MTCT programme, please contact us on
044-382-0989
or visit us at Melrose House in Knysna.
Many HIV Positive people dream of having a baby and they have as much right to a family as anyone. But, if you are positive, babies need careful thought and planning.
If your partner is HIV negative you face the question of how to make a baby without passing on the virus to the person you love. Obviously, getting pregnant requires un-protected sex - unless you can afford the 'test tube' option. So, are there ways to reduce the infection risk involved in conceiving?.
Professor Eddie Mhlanga, head of the School of Maternal, Child and Women's Health at the Nelson R Mandela Medical School in Durban, suggests that couples in this situation should consult a health professional. He also offers a few general pointers on limiting risk.
You should restrict the number of times you have unprotected sex focusing on a few days in the middle of the woman's menstrual cycle when conception is mostly likely. Women can identify this fertile time by checking body temperature daily or simply, as Professor Mhlanga puts it, "getting in touch with their bodies" and noting changes - like tender breasts and increased vaginal moistness. It is wise to make sure neither of you has genital sores or ulcers that could give the virus a short cut into the body. Also, advises the professor, take things gently,avoiding extreme friction during sex. "The main thing is to make sure that the viral load in the postive partner is as low as possible and the immune system is up and running, "he says, Viral load measures the amount of the virus in the blood. When it is
low, the risk of passing on HIV is also lower. There is a blood test that measures viral load.
Many things affect viral load and the state of the immune system - including the stage of infection, your general state of health, control of opportunistic infections and medication.
Anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) can reduce the viral load dramatically if they are taken properly. But, warns Professor Mhlanga, you must really need these drugs because you have advanced AIDS. You cannot take ARV's just to limit the risk in conceiving a baby.
The above advice applies whether the positive partner is male or female.
Expensive methods like 'test tube' fertilisation (combined with sperm washing) and artificial insemination can be used to avoid infection. But few of us can afford them.
If the father is positive and the couple conceives without the mother becoming infected, that is great news. Use condoms throughout the pregnancy and your baby will almost certainly be HIV-free. If the mother is positive, pregnancy and labour must be specially managed to preserve her health and give the baaby a good chance of being born negative.
For more information on HIV and AIDS call the AIDS Helpline 0800 012 322 or
look on the website: www.aidsinfo.co.za
MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION PROGRAMME
As part of their services, Knysna Aids Council supports a Mother to Child
Programme across clinics in Knysna.
Research all over the world has shown, that if a mother and her baby are able to take certain medication, there is a good chance that HIV will not be passed from mother to child if the mother has the HIV virus in her body during pregnancy.
The MTCT programme is all about helping people to get the right medicine at the right time to make sure that more babies are not infected with HIV.
The programme also helps mothers to decide on the best way to feed their babies.
The programme consists of four parts:
Counselling and testing
Medication
Infant Feeding
Testing the Baby
For information about the MTCT programme, please contact us on
044-382-0989
or visit us at Melrose House in Knysna.
MOTHER-TO-CHILD-TRANSMISSION
MTCT or Mother to Child Transmission is the transmission of the HIV virus from an HIV positive mother to her child. A mother can pass on the virus to her child during pregnancy, while giving birth, or after birth through breastfeeding. It is estimated that about 3 babies out of 10 born from HIV positive mothers will be HIV positive (Khomanani's information booklet 'Pregnancy and HIV').
MTCT or Mother to Child Transmission is the transmission of the HIV virus from an HIV positive mother to her child. A mother can pass on the virus to her child during pregnancy, while giving birth, or after birth through breastfeeding. It is estimated that about 3 babies out of 10 born from HIV positive mothers will be HIV positive (Khomanani's information booklet 'Pregnancy and HIV').
