Can a pregnant mother with HIV do ways to prevent it from passing on to her child.?

Answer 1

Vertical transmission of HIV (from mother to child) can be significantly reduced if the mother takes antiviral medication while pregnant, to reduce the viral load (the amount of virus in her body) and antiviral therapy given to the child immediately after birth as well. While breastfeeding is typically the best way to feed a newborn, when the mother is infected with HIV, if a mother has HIV, then she shouldn't breastfeed, as HIV can be transmitted to a baby through breast milk. Additionally, it may be wise to have a cesarean delivery (c-section) to reduce the risk of transmission during birth.

Answer 2

When a mother goes to the clinic, Midwife Obstetric Unit or hospital for her first antenatal visit, she is given counselling and is asked if she wants to take an HIV test. The results are confidential, which means that only the counsellor and healthcare workers looking after the mother will discuss the results.

If the mother takes the test and is found to be HIV positive, she will have the option to join the PMTCT programme free of charge. As part of the programme she will be given Nevirapine and Zidovudine, anti-HIV medicine.

The mother must take the Zidovudine from 34 weeks pregnancy, and will be given Nevirapine when she goes into labour and reports at the hospital. These medicines in syrup form, will also be given to the baby within 6-72 hours of birth.


It's important to note that:

The medication only reduces the chance of passing the virus in the mother's body to the baby during delivery. Transmission during delivery is the most common factor, accounting for 60-85% of transmissions of the virus from the mother to her baby.
Babies who get the virus while the mother is pregnant or as a result of breastfeeding will not be protected by the antiretroviral medicine.
The medication is only used to try and protect the baby. It is not going to cure the mother of HIV.


INFANT FEEDING

Counselling and advice on infant feeding for HIV-positive mothers is available. Mothers are given a choice to either exclusively breastfeed for four to six months or exclusively formula feed. Exclusive breastfeeding means that the baby must only be given breast milk, no tea, no water and no juice. This reduces the chance of the virus in the breast milk being passed on to the baby. Those mothers choosing to formula feed will get free milk powder for six months. They will get two tins of milk powder on discharge after delivery and will also get eight tins per month at the local baby clinic.


THE BABY'S HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The mother must go regularly to the post-natal clinic to have the baby weighed, to get immunisations, to be given milk powder and to get Co-trimoxazole, medicine to prevent pneumonia.

Babies are tested for the HIV at 14 weeks when they report for the 3rd immunisation visit. If negative, the baby does not need Co-trimoxazole any longer. If the baby tests positive then they must continue with Co-trimoxazole. If the baby is positive, it will need special care throughout its life.


THE MOTHER'S HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

HIV can live for a long time (3-10) years in the body whilst the mother feels healthy and well. For this reason mothers are encouraged to go to the clinic regularly to get medicine for opportunistic infections to keep healthy for longer. She is encouraged to use condoms every time she has sex so that she can protect herself and her partner from contracting the virus, or from getting more of the virus if both partners are HIV positive.

The mother will also be given counselling about contraception options for after the birth. The health worker will encourage the mother to tell the father of the baby that she is HIV positive so that he can also be tested. This can happen with the aid of the counsellor or health worker. It is important for the mother to join a group that will support her and give her information on eating nutritiously and how to look after herself and the baby. Formal support groups are available and can be contacted through the local clinic.

Remember that the presence of maternal Sexually Transmitted Infections increases the risk of HIV transmission.

Answer 3

Ask the doctor. Most of us are not medical people.

Some people get HIV and some people are exposed and don't get it. It is basically a crap shoot. Take good care of yourself and eat well and get tons of vitamins. Pray for yourself and the baby and do what the doctors tell you to do. God bless. Do all you can for the child and maybe bank the cord blood if the doctors think it is wise. Cord blood can help you and the child later on down the road.

Answer 4

Unfortunatly HIV is blood borne and will and can be transmitted to the fetus. Talk to doctors about ways to cope with this and pray for your child not to be born with it.

Answer 5

I think that I have read they can prevent this. It may be through the use of anti-viral drugs, but babies can be borne uninfected from an infected mother.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aidsandpregnancy.html

Answer 6

nope just pray and the mom wil just want to start medication for hiv asap

Answer 7

If you are seeing a doctor they will usually give you a shot to try to prevent it from getting to the fetus. Please get prenatal care if you are not, it's very important.