Aa
Pregnancy and breastfeeding while on Tenofovir (Viread)
Hi everyone,
I would like to share my Tenofovir experience with the HBV community.
I am an HBV (Hbe Neg) carrier and have been on Tenofovir (Viread) since December 2009. Dr evaluated me and said that I had to start treatment even though viral load wasn't very high 59000UI/ml, AST and ALT in normal range according to old standards (ALT = 32 was the maximum I reached) and Liver Biopsy came back with stage 1. The new recommendations were to start treating at a low viral load.
When I first started, I was panicked because some references tell you not to get pregnant while on Viread because the drung might possibly harm baby's bones and some other stuff...Dr said it was ok to get pregnant and that Viread is a Category B drug which is safe during pregnancy. It has also been safely used by many HIV women since years.
I gave birth to my baby boy on December 16 2010 and and baby is doing just fine. If some of you ladies are on Tnf treatment, it is ok to get pregnant when you take Tenofovir. By the way, I never missed a pill since I started the treatment and during all my pregnancy. Tnf made the viral load undetectable starting from month 3 so the theory is baby has very low chances to get HBV. I am crossing my fingers!
After baby's birth, he has been given the HBV vaccine and immunoglobulin in the first 12 hours of his life and he will get the next vaccine shots for HBV at 1 month and 6 months of life. We will do a blood test at 7 month to make sure he didn't get the HBV virus during pregnancy or labor and delivery!! It is well know that ALT gets higher during pregnancy, mine went up from 21 to 32 during pregnancy, nothing crazy though...I will watch this starting from January to follow up on my ALT values. I didn't have any common problem during pregnany (high pressure, gestational diabetes...) thanks God.
As far as breastfeeding, opinions are contradictory...A first doctor said better avoid breastfeeding as there are not enough stdies on humans showing if tnf goes into the maternal milk and if can harm the baby. Another doctor said it is probably safe, the main concern was tnf not HBV as the virus doesn't go into maternal milk. The only study was done on maccaques and the study mentions that only 2% of tnf goes to breast milk and does not harm the baby. I also heard from other medhelp mothers that they have been told by their doctor that breastfeeding was safe while on Viread, I raised the issue during my delivery stay at the hospital and the consensus was, we will check baby's levels of creatinine and phosphate at birth and after 1 month of breastfeeding, if the values are stable, I can continue breastfeeding, if they get lower, they there might be some effect of baby's kidneys and I will have to add formula when feeding my baby. I am already using both methods breastfeeding and formula to lower the impacts if there are any. The argument is that tnf remains in our blood for 17 hours and that is a very long period.
I will update whenever I get results for my baby's kidneys tests and HBV test at 7 months of life.
I hope this post benefits other HBV moms on Tenofovir treatment and who are trying to concieve. Good luck!
I would like to share my Tenofovir experience with the HBV community.
I am an HBV (Hbe Neg) carrier and have been on Tenofovir (Viread) since December 2009. Dr evaluated me and said that I had to start treatment even though viral load wasn't very high 59000UI/ml, AST and ALT in normal range according to old standards (ALT = 32 was the maximum I reached) and Liver Biopsy came back with stage 1. The new recommendations were to start treating at a low viral load.
When I first started, I was panicked because some references tell you not to get pregnant while on Viread because the drung might possibly harm baby's bones and some other stuff...Dr said it was ok to get pregnant and that Viread is a Category B drug which is safe during pregnancy. It has also been safely used by many HIV women since years.
I gave birth to my baby boy on December 16 2010 and and baby is doing just fine. If some of you ladies are on Tnf treatment, it is ok to get pregnant when you take Tenofovir. By the way, I never missed a pill since I started the treatment and during all my pregnancy. Tnf made the viral load undetectable starting from month 3 so the theory is baby has very low chances to get HBV. I am crossing my fingers!
After baby's birth, he has been given the HBV vaccine and immunoglobulin in the first 12 hours of his life and he will get the next vaccine shots for HBV at 1 month and 6 months of life. We will do a blood test at 7 month to make sure he didn't get the HBV virus during pregnancy or labor and delivery!! It is well know that ALT gets higher during pregnancy, mine went up from 21 to 32 during pregnancy, nothing crazy though...I will watch this starting from January to follow up on my ALT values. I didn't have any common problem during pregnany (high pressure, gestational diabetes...) thanks God.
As far as breastfeeding, opinions are contradictory...A first doctor said better avoid breastfeeding as there are not enough stdies on humans showing if tnf goes into the maternal milk and if can harm the baby. Another doctor said it is probably safe, the main concern was tnf not HBV as the virus doesn't go into maternal milk. The only study was done on maccaques and the study mentions that only 2% of tnf goes to breast milk and does not harm the baby. I also heard from other medhelp mothers that they have been told by their doctor that breastfeeding was safe while on Viread, I raised the issue during my delivery stay at the hospital and the consensus was, we will check baby's levels of creatinine and phosphate at birth and after 1 month of breastfeeding, if the values are stable, I can continue breastfeeding, if they get lower, they there might be some effect of baby's kidneys and I will have to add formula when feeding my baby. I am already using both methods breastfeeding and formula to lower the impacts if there are any. The argument is that tnf remains in our blood for 17 hours and that is a very long period.
I will update whenever I get results for my baby's kidneys tests and HBV test at 7 months of life.
I hope this post benefits other HBV moms on Tenofovir treatment and who are trying to concieve. Good luck!
Hi:
Thanks so the post. I am 30 weeks pregnant now and I am taking viread for Hep B. I am also confused about the breastfeeding. I may ask you if is ok to breastfeeding? Congrats for having a cute boy!
Thanks so the post. I am 30 weeks pregnant now and I am taking viread for Hep B. I am also confused about the breastfeeding. I may ask you if is ok to breastfeeding? Congrats for having a cute boy!
Thank you! Sure I come here from time to time but you can also message me if I don't reply here. I don't come often...
Hello
I am glad this post helped you. I mean to say that I sometimes in one day, he will get both (breastfeeding and formula but not mixed together...But really it was easy for me because I didn't have enough natural milk anyways so I had to complete with Formula and also a bit of security.
Good luck. My son is close to 3 years now and he is jumpy and full of life, thank God, he is very healthy.
I am glad this post helped you. I mean to say that I sometimes in one day, he will get both (breastfeeding and formula but not mixed together...But really it was easy for me because I didn't have enough natural milk anyways so I had to complete with Formula and also a bit of security.
Good luck. My son is close to 3 years now and he is jumpy and full of life, thank God, he is very healthy.
hi
thanks so much for your great post. I am currently 37wks pregnant and have been on viread since 2008. your post gives me a wonderful really and thanks so much.please if I may ask how do you mix breastfeeding with formula. do you mean breastfeed by using the bottle (breastmilk+formula) or breastfeed from the breast like in 6 meal (4 breastfed and 2formula)
thanks again and appreciated your reply
thanks so much for your great post. I am currently 37wks pregnant and have been on viread since 2008. your post gives me a wonderful really and thanks so much.please if I may ask how do you mix breastfeeding with formula. do you mean breastfeed by using the bottle (breastmilk+formula) or breastfeed from the breast like in 6 meal (4 breastfed and 2formula)
thanks again and appreciated your reply
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis B Community
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
