HIV Testing In Pregnancy - Gauging Risks Of Transmission Of The HIV Virus Into The Baby

HIV testing in pregnancy is very important. According to recent statistics, every two pregnant women out of one thousand are HIV positive. It has also been found that the virus gets transmitted to the baby in one out of three such cases. In fact, the virus can hit the baby right during the 8th week of pregnancy. This is the stage when the placenta is formed. The virus may enter the baby through the placenta from the bloodstream of the mother.

The Chances Of HIV Infection During Caesarean Or Vaginal Delivery

Some people have this misconception that if the mother is HIV positive, the virus can cross to the baby ONLY at the time of birth and it all depends on the method of delivery. Well, it is true that at the time of the baby’s birth, the exchange of body fluids takes place, which can transmit the virus to the baby. However, it is also important for you to understand that since the virus usually attacks the baby right before the birth, the method of delivery does not really make any difference. In simple words, you can say that at the time of the birth, the virus may be “re-transmitted”.

Is It Possible To Stop The Transmission Of The HIV Virus To The Baby?

There are some treatment options available but the success rate is 60:40. There are medications available, such as AZT (Azidovudine). If the HIV testing in pregnancy brings positive result but there are no symptoms of AIDS, this medication can be very effective. If this medication is taken during pregnancy and during the labor, it can substantially reduce the risk of transmission of the HIV virus. However, no medication has been found to be 100% successful. Besides that, there are several side effects as well. Therefore, in order to get the best results out of it, it is very important for you to tell all the symptoms to your doctor. This way, your doctor will be able to take care of you in a much better way. If we talk about the chances, the statistics say that in the case of AZT treatment, the chances of the transmission of the virus from HIV women to their baby from 1-in-3 (33.3%) to 1-in-12 (8%).

Additional Testing

HIV testing in pregnancy also involves some additional testing in order to find the existence of other infections, if any. This additional testing is important because if you are HIV positive, your immune system that actually fights with the disease becomes weak. Besides that, you will be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases. You will also be monitored for the CD4 cell count and HIV viral load throughout the pregnancy.