Babies born to mothers with HIV usually get special

Your baby’s health

Babies born to mothers with HIV usually get special care during the first few months of life. Your baby will likely receive anti-HIV drugs to further reduce the risk of vertical transmission of HIV. Doctors will also regularly test the HIV status of your baby during this time.
feedingDoes your baby have to take treatment?

Treatment during pregnancy is the best way to reduce the risk of HIV transmission to your baby. Giving medicine to the baby after it is born can further reduce the risk of vertical transmission. If you take anti-HIV drugs during pregnancy, AZT will likely be given to your baby within 6 to 12 hours after delivery and be continued for 6 weeks. If you did not receive anti-HIV drugs during pregnancy or delivery, or if your viral load was high before delivery, your doctor may recommend combination anti-HIV therapy for your baby.

You might not want to think about it, but it’s important to know that if you refuse to treat your baby with anti-HIV drugs, the authorities may intervene. If they believe the baby’s health is in serious jeopardy, they may take your baby away from you.
How will the medications affect your baby?

Many women worry about how the HIV medications they take during pregnancy will affect their children as they grow. The Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry, a program run by US health authorities, has been monitoring children born to HIV positive mothers since 1994. So far, they have found no evidence of long-term side effects in children of mothers who took anti-HIV therapy during pregnancy.