here - CD8 T cells - The Body

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EmaIL aDDRESS
Women in the U.S. with HIV should not breastfeed their babies
due to increased risk of transmitting the virus. Baby formula
is a safe and healthy alternative.
Unfortunately, women in the U.S. with
HIV should not breastfeed their babies
due to increased risk of transmitting the
virus. Baby formula is a safe and healthy
alternative to breast milk and there are
many brands and options that are available
to you. Also, while the risk is very
low, HIV can also be transmitted to a baby
through food that was pre-chewed by an
HIV-positive mother (or caretaker). To be
completely safe, babies should not be fed
pre-chewed food.
dOES ThE BABY hAVE hIV?
THERE aRE Two TYPES oF
tests that will be performed on
your baby to find out if he or she
has HIV. The first is the HIV antibody
test. All babies born to a mom with
HIV will test positive for the first several
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months of their lives. This does not mean
that they have HIV. Rather, it means that
the baby has simply been exposed to his/
her mother’s HIV. The second test, PCR
testing, looks for the virus and not just the
antibodies to the virus. It is this test that
can tell whether the baby has HIV or not.
This test will be done during the first few
days of his/her life.
The PCR test will be repeated several
times on your baby. To know for certain
that your baby is not infected with HIV, the
baby must not be breastfeeding and must
have two negative PCR tests, the first at
one month (or older) and the second at
four months (or older). Many experts confirm
the HIV-negative status of the baby
with an HIV antibody test at age 12 to 18
months. To be diagnosed with HIV, a baby
must have two positive PCR tests.
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nAME
AgEnCy (if APPliCABlE)
AddRESS
Again, just because you have HIV does
not mean you can’t have a healthy pregnancy
and baby. In fact, just this past year
I had an HIV-positive patient who followed
her regimen and had a healthy pregnancy,
and an uncomplicated vaginal birth. She
and her husband welcomed a healthy
HIV-negative baby into the world. It can be
done, and it is done by lots of women just
like you every day. So, again, congratulations!
JohN verNa has spent his entire professional
career providing health care to individuals
with HIV. For the past three years,
he has worked at Access Community
Health Network in Chicago. John knows
just how special (and scary) pregnancy
can be, as he and his wife recently welcomed
their first child.
CiTy STATE ZiP