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Did you know that every pregnant woman should have an HIV test? Each, even the one who has had a permanent partner for years. Often it is because of him that she becomes infected with HIV. Sometimes she finds out about it only after the baby is born, and it turns out that the baby is also infected. Transmission of HIV from mother to child is preventable. A pregnant carrier has nearly 100% a chance to give birth to a he althy child. It is enough for him to perform an HIV test during pregnancy, and if the result is positive - he will undergo appropriate treatment.

If you arepregnantand your doctor gives youHIV test , don't say no by saying, "This doesn't apply to me." HIV infection affects everyone, not only - as is commonly believed - people with the so-called risk groups, such as homosexuals, injecting drug users or prostitutes. Anyone who has a sex life can become infected. Especially women, because they are more easily infected with HIV than men.

Sexual contact is the most common way of transmitting HIV today. In Poland, the frequency of HIV infections transmitted in heterosexual contacts has been increasing for several years, and the number of HIV-infected women is also growing.

Many of them become infected with HIV through their regular sexual partner (sometimes their first and only sexual partner) or their husband. However, women do not allow themselves to think that they could get infected in this way. Therefore, they do not perform tests, also before and during pregnancy. And HIV can also be transmitted from mother to child - during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding .

The risk of maternal HIV infection in its natural course is 15-30%. With breastfeeding for more than 6 months or mixed feeding, it increases to approx. 50 %¹ Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, about 200 infections in children have been registered in our country. 90 percent of them were infected by vertical transmission (from mother to child) .¹ It should be noted that HIV infection in a child progresses much faster, the risk of developing AIDS and death is greater than in adults.

Find out what the HIV test looks like

In Poland, only 10 percent. pregnant women perform an HIV test

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is preventable. The first, indispensablethe condition for such success is the awareness of the woman that she is infected with HIV. Lets get her tested. In the European Union countries, the HIV test is performed by up to 60 percent. women who are expecting a child, and in Poland only about 10% .²

There are several reasons for this state of affairs. Women believe that since they are not taking drugs, do not sleep with random men, and have been in a long-term relationship, they cannot become infected. In addition, they place great trust in their partners and do not allow thoughts about their betrayal. Other women are aware that the so-called risky situations, but the fear of a possible result is paralyzing for them enough that they prefer not to know it .³ Some women simply do not know that they should do such a test.

The situation is not being improved by doctors. As noted by Marek Michalak, the Ombudsman for Children, the percentage of obstetricians recommending HIV tests to pregnant women does not exceed 30%.4

If your gynecologist has not ordered you to be tested for HIV, ask him to do so.

Meanwhile, in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of He alth regarding the care of pregnant women with a physiological pregnancy, HIV testing should be performed twice.

- The first time at the beginning of pregnancy (up to the 10th week) and the second in the interval of 33-37 weeks - says Dr. Barbara Grzechocińska, gynecologist - obstetrician, assistant professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical University of Warsaw.

Retry the test is very important as the first result may be a false negative.

- Anti-HIV antibodies appear in the range of 2 to 24 weeks after infection - explains Dr. Grzechocińska. If the test is performed before this time, an infection may not be recognized.

Worth knowing

Are you pregnant, have you had HIV test positive? Do not give up! You must perform a confirmation test - only the result of this test allows you to make a final diagnosis. Sometimes the screening test may give a false positive result, which can be caused by pregnancy, acute viral infections, immunization, immunosuppressive treatments, autoimmune diseases, and other conditions .¹

Are you pregnant and HIV positive? You can give birth to a he althy baby!

The second necessary condition for an HIV-infected woman to have a he althy baby is the use of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and childbirth. It is also necessary to give them to the newborn for the first 4 weeks of life.

- In case of HIV infection in a pregnant woman, it is possible to start treatment immediatelyantiretroviral, which protects her against AIDS, and the fetus against infection - says prof. dr hab. Brygida Knysz, President of the Polish AIDS Scientific Society, Head of the Department and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Liver Diseases and Acquired Immunodeficiencies, Wroclaw Medical University.

- Proper prophylaxis in the pregnant woman and the newborn reduces the risk of infection in the child<0,5 proc., czyli w praktyce prawie całkowicie eliminuje ryzyko. Ponadto u takiej pacjentki istnieje możliwość monitorowania skuteczności leczenia antyretrowirusowego, co umożliwia ustalenie sposobu rozwiązania ciąży oraz sposobu stosowania profilaktycznie leków u noworodka - dodaje ekspert.

HIV-infected pregnant women have nearly 100% a chance to have a he althy baby.

- It is recommended that HIV-infected women give birth by caesarean section to reduce the risk of infecting the baby during delivery, says Dr. Barbara Grzechocińska. However, in individual cases, vaginal delivery can be considered - the gynecologist says.

The third condition that determines the he alth of a child is that the HIV-infected mother must not breastfeed. Feeding your own food poses a risk of transmitting the infection to your baby.

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Worth knowing

One test - two or even three lives

- One test, two lives is an extremely accurate statement. Properly started medications protect the mother and her baby - says prof. dr hab. Brygida Knysz. Sometimes it would be necessary to say one test, three lives, because it may happen that the partner is also unaware of the infection, and only the diagnosis in the wife is made is the moment when he decides to have the test - adds the expert. The partner can perform an HIV test anonymously and free of charge at one of the consultation and diagnostic centers (PKD).

Treating HIV-positive mother is safe for baby

- Antiretroviral treatment of a pregnant woman is safe for the baby. We already have many years of experience in this field and we do not observe any complications related to maternal antiretroviral therapy in the newborn. - emphasizes prof. Brygida Knysz.

- In pregnant women who have received prior treatment for HIV infection, the current therapy should be maintained. If antiretroviral treatment is initiated only during pregnancy, certain drugs are used, which are among the most frequently recommended during this period - adds the expert.

A pregnant woman who knows she is HIV positive and undergoes treatment can give birth to a he althy baby. This is proven by women who support the HIV / AIDS-Plus and Minus FORUM:5

It's not the end of the world !!!!! MeI'm HIV positive too and have a he althy 10 month old boy! A specimen of he alth! Don't worry too much, just scrub to the clinic as soon as possible.

HIV testing is a standard part of the care of a pregnant woman. Treat this study like any other.

I have two children that I gave birth to as an infected person - a 12-year-old and 1.5-year-old daughter. During the first pregnancy, I did not use any prophylaxis because it was not there yet, while in the second I took medications from the 28th week of pregnancy. The results of the younger daughter have been ok so far, i.e. the virus has not been detected by PCR tests (4 times), I plan the final examination in about half a year, when the period of my hiv antibodies will pass. Normally it is a period of about 1.5 years, but my older daughter had them until she was over 2 years old, so I will not be in a hurry this time as well. I would like to add that during a properly conducted prophylactic procedure in a child and mother, the risk of infection is 1%. It is important to take medications regularly, give birth in a specialized ward, where you will receive retrovir during childbirth, and give the baby the same drug after birth up to 6 weeks of age (post-exposure prophylaxis). I wish you good luck and do not be nervous, although I know from experience that it is almost impossible anyway … I keep my fingers crossed for you.

Head up Your baby has a 98% chance of being born he althy. I also have HIV and I gave birth to a baby he althy as a fish and now I am expecting another one and I am calm. I wish you good luck

A woman with HIV can not only give birth to a he althy child, but also enjoy motherhood for many years.

- With the current level of medicine, HIV infection is treated as a chronic disease, because with regular treatment and medical care, HIV does not take years of life, says Dr. n. soc. Magdalena Ankiersztejn-Bartczak, President of the Management Board of the Social Education Foundation.

I am pregnant and have HIV. Where to find help?

- Receiving an HIV diagnosis is a difficult moment in everyone's life, says Dr. n. soc. Magdalena Ankiersztejn-Bartczak. - Support for pregnant women is especially important - she emphasizes.

People infected with HIV, including pregnant women, can seek support in associations and foundations. One of them is the Foundation for Social Education (FES).

- The Foundation for Social Education runs helplines tel. 0800 14 14 23, where HIV-positive women support infected people and their relatives, says Dr. Ankiersztejn-Bartczak. - At the same time, we cooperate with a lawyer, psychologist, gynecologist and infectious diseases doctor, thanks to which women with allthey can report any problems to us - he adds.

There are over a dozen organizations in Poland, addresses can be found at www.aids.gov.pl

Source: 1. www.aids.gov.pl 2. Caring for an HIV-plus woman. A practical guide for doctors of family medicine and other speci alties, A practical guide for doctors of family medicine and other speci alties, see editor dr hab. n. med. Justyna D. Kowalska. Warsaw 2016, p. 913. Report. Attitudes of pregnant women and women planning pregnancy towards HIV testing, Warsaw 20144. Speech of the Ombudsman for Children to the Minister of He alth: www.brpd.gov.pl/sites/default/files/wyst_2016_07_01_mz.pdf5. HIV / AIDS-Plus and Minus FORUM: www.free4web.pl/3/2,55537,241837,5635589,0,Thread.html [Accessed: 21.01.2019]

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