Q: Why is it recommended that all pregnant women have an HIV test?

Ask Our Expert About Pregnancy and HIV Testing

Q: Why is it recommended that all pregnant women have an HIV test?

A: A woman with HIV has a 1-in-4 chance of infecting her unborn child. That’s why the U.S. Public Health Service recommends all pregnant women be offered testing for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). Fortunately, if you test positive – even right before labor – there are things we can do to greatly reduce that risk and help you have a healthy, uninfected baby. These include medications and delivery through cesarean section (c-section). In fact, because we are so aggressive about testing, transmission from mother to child is much less common.

Lehigh Valley Health Network offers routine testing to all pregnant women right up until delivery. We are able to get results within 20 minutes with the Ora-Quick Advance HIV test. This determines what kind of care and intervention is necessary to reduce the risk of infecting your child. If you test positive for HIV, you will be referred for HIV care and offered medications to reduce the likelihood of your newborn becoming infected.

Q: If I am HIV positive, how can I reduce the risk of infecting my baby?

A: By using medication, the risk of infecting your child is reduced to less than 1 percent. Medications reduce your viral load – the amount of virus in your body. If you don’t receive any HIV treatment during pregnancy, there’s a 25 percent chance of transmission. This means you need to get good care early in your pregnancy and talk to your doctor about treatments and delivery options. Together, you and your doctor can develop a plan to prevent transmitting HIV to your baby.

Depending on how much of the virus is detected in your body, there could be a higher risk of transmission to your baby during vaginal delivery, so a c-section before labor could be recommended. All babies born to infected mothers will be offered anti-HIV medications for six weeks to reduce the risk of infection. Babies also are tested for the virus soon after birth and again several weeks later.

There are certain prenatal procedures you should avoid to lessen the baby’s exposure to your body fluids, which carry the virus. Talk to your doctor to learn more about these procedures and the increased risk of infecting your baby.

After giving birth, women who are infected with HIV should not breastfeed. The virus can be transmitted to your baby through breast milk.

AIDS/HIV Care Lehigh Valley Hospital offers medical care and support services for people with HIV or AIDS, as well as HIV testing in 20 minutes More >>

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