HIV infection
Information, Symptoms, Treatments and Resources
Living with HIV: 5 Things Women Should Know
Talk to Your Doctor Before Getting Pregnant
Talk to Your Doctor Before Getting Pregnant
Women with HIV have about a 25 percent chance of passing the virus on to their unborn child. However, if a woman starts taking antiretroviral medicines early on in pregnancy, the risk of passing on the virus is cut dramatically — down to about 2 percent. After the baby is delivered, your newborn will be tested for HIV and may be given medicine to help prevent the infection. It's important to understand that HIV can be passed through breast milk, so HIV-positive women should not breastfeed.
If you are pregnant or would like to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. He or she will let you know what special care you'll need to take throughout your pregnancy to keep both your and your baby healthy.
By Jenilee Matz, MPH. Published August xx, 2013. Jen is a freelance health and fitness writer with a passion for running. In previous roles, Jen was a staff writer for The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and myoptumhealth.com.
