Is the use of anti-HIV drugs harmful during pregnancy?
10 December 2016
Anti-HIV drugs reduce the virus’s concentration in the body. Reducing this concentration reduces the risk of transmission of the virus from the mother to the child during pregnancy and childbirth.
Pregnant women can and should take medication when they are living with the virus. The medication does not cause harm during pregnancy, prevents mother-to-child transmission of the virus and protects the mother’s health.
When choosing anti-HIV drugs for use during pregnancy, the following factors are taken into account:
- Pregnancy-related changes that affect how the body assimilates anti-HIV drugs. Because of these changes, the dose of a drug against that virus may change during pregnancy.
- The risk of certain side effects with the use of this type of medication during pregnancy.
For this reason, the mother living with HIV must keep constant pregnancy control with the treating physician. Infants born to HIV-positive mothers receive anti-HIV drugs during the first 6 weeks of life. These medications reduce the risk of infection from any virus that may have entered the baby’s body during labor.
Other ways to care for the baby is by cesarean delivery to the mother and avoiding breastfeeding. If you are a pregnant woman or wish to have a baby in the future, approach the staff of the clinic, they will be able to advise you and with your support and commitment the results will be as expected.
Source investigated by: IAle Calderón, El Salvador
Link: http://1.usa.gov/1rofdMO
