"If a woman knows she's HIV-positive but, she wants to have a baby, she should know what options are available to her", I said to my husband.
"Are HIV-positive women allowed to have babies?", he asked. I replied, "Of course. It doesn't mean she's HIV-positive that she shouldn't. There's just the heightened risk involved."
"Because she could pass on the virus to the baby, right? How does that even happen?"
"Because of the contact the baby has with the mom in-utero."
"Really?" My husband raised an eyebrow. "So, she shouldn't have a baby in the first place then. Won't the baby die soon after birth?"
Sadly, my husband's incorrect notions and general ignorance about HIV/AIDS is common for so many people in the Philippines because of one simple fact: lack of proactive HIV/AIDS education. His misconceptions about HIV/AIDS boggled me but I really shouldn't be surprised. I'm just disturbed by what he assumes he knows. We all still have so much to learn. HIV/AIDS is one of those things in life that everyone should know about because, the number of people infected with the virus is growing by tens of thousands every year. You might even know someone who has it. I do.
So, can a woman who has the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and who wants to have a baby still go for it? The answer is YES.
An HIV+ mother could pass on the virus to her unborn child in two ways: in-utero via their shared circulatory system or during delivery via her infected bodily fluids. Previously, if it was known that the mother is HIV+ (possible to know with routine prenatal HIV screening), the only option was to deliver the baby via C-section so that fetal exposure to the virus is lessened. Now, a normal delivery can be done -- and ensure that the baby is HIV-negative -- thanks to a specific drug regimen.
In 1998, an HIV medication called Sustiva began to be used for HIV treatment in combination with other drugs, such as Retrovir (also known as AZT), to inhibit the virus. According to AIDSmeds, this combination of drugs essentially prevents the cell reproduction of the HIV virus in the body. It's administered to both the mother and the fetus after the first trimester and throughout the entire pregnancy. About.com's Health Guide on AZT explains that, during a normal delivery, the drug is given intravenously to the mother as an S.O.P. to further decrease the chances of the virus being passed on to the baby.
Since the mid-1990s, studies have proven this treatment to be highly effective. But, it's important to note that this will work only if HIV screening is done early during the pregnancy. That is the crucial factor that will affect everything else that follows.
But, if the baby is exposed to the virus, it doesn't mean that s/he will die immediately after birth. With continuous treatment for both the mother and the child (i.e., early vaccination), it is very likely that the child could live a healthy life.
Stay informed. Help keep others informed. Support the RH Bill.
Learn more from these links:
Pregnancy
Pregnancy and HIV
What Do I Need To Know About HIV During Pregnancy?
AIDS/HIV: Vaginal vs. C-section Delivery...Which is Right for You?
Just Because I'm HIV-Positive, Can't I Bear Children?
Breastfeeding
HIV and Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding alone cuts HIV risk
Breastfeeding Now Safer For Infants Of HIV-Infected Mothers
Antiretrovirals During Breastfeeding Could Shield Babies From HIV
Vaccination/Treatment
Early Vaccination Increases Antibody Responses in HIV-Negative Babies Born To HIV-Positive Mothers
Additional Interesting Read
What if the father, not the mother, is HIV-positive?
Image sources here and here.
"Are HIV-positive women allowed to have babies?", he asked. I replied, "Of course. It doesn't mean she's HIV-positive that she shouldn't. There's just the heightened risk involved."
"Because she could pass on the virus to the baby, right? How does that even happen?"
"Really?" My husband raised an eyebrow. "So, she shouldn't have a baby in the first place then. Won't the baby die soon after birth?"
Sadly, my husband's incorrect notions and general ignorance about HIV/AIDS is common for so many people in the Philippines because of one simple fact: lack of proactive HIV/AIDS education. His misconceptions about HIV/AIDS boggled me but I really shouldn't be surprised. I'm just disturbed by what he assumes he knows. We all still have so much to learn. HIV/AIDS is one of those things in life that everyone should know about because, the number of people infected with the virus is growing by tens of thousands every year. You might even know someone who has it. I do.
So, can a woman who has the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and who wants to have a baby still go for it? The answer is YES.
An HIV+ mother could pass on the virus to her unborn child in two ways: in-utero via their shared circulatory system or during delivery via her infected bodily fluids. Previously, if it was known that the mother is HIV+ (possible to know with routine prenatal HIV screening), the only option was to deliver the baby via C-section so that fetal exposure to the virus is lessened. Now, a normal delivery can be done -- and ensure that the baby is HIV-negative -- thanks to a specific drug regimen.
Since the mid-1990s, studies have proven this treatment to be highly effective. But, it's important to note that this will work only if HIV screening is done early during the pregnancy. That is the crucial factor that will affect everything else that follows.
But, if the baby is exposed to the virus, it doesn't mean that s/he will die immediately after birth. With continuous treatment for both the mother and the child (i.e., early vaccination), it is very likely that the child could live a healthy life.
Stay informed. Help keep others informed. Support the RH Bill.
Learn more from these links:
Pregnancy
Pregnancy and HIV
What Do I Need To Know About HIV During Pregnancy?
AIDS/HIV: Vaginal vs. C-section Delivery...Which is Right for You?
Just Because I'm HIV-Positive, Can't I Bear Children?
Breastfeeding
HIV and Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding alone cuts HIV risk
Breastfeeding Now Safer For Infants Of HIV-Infected Mothers
Antiretrovirals During Breastfeeding Could Shield Babies From HIV
Vaccination/Treatment
Early Vaccination Increases Antibody Responses in HIV-Negative Babies Born To HIV-Positive Mothers
Additional Interesting Read
What if the father, not the mother, is HIV-positive?
Image sources here and here.
No comments:
Post a Comment