Does pregnancy affect viral load?

Statistical analysis showed that higher maternal viral load during week 30 of pregnancy significantly increased the risk of transmission.

What is high viral load during pregnancy?

Viral load ≥1000 copies/mL — If you have taken HIV medications throughout your pregnancy but have a viral load above 1000 copies/mL within four weeks of your due date, you will likely be advised to have a cesarean delivery before you go into labor rather than planning for a vaginal delivery.

Can a pregnant woman with HIV have a healthy baby?

An HIV-positive person can transmit HIV to their baby any time during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have children. Treatment with a combination of HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) can prevent transmission of HIV to your baby and protect your health.

What is the rate of HIV transmission during pregnancy?

In the absence of intervention, the rate of transmission of HIV from a mother living with HIV to her child during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding ranges from 15% to 45%.

Can I breastfeed if my viral load is undetectable?

BHIVA guidelines recommend that HIV-positive mothers should formula feed their infants. However, they also note that women with an undetectable viral load and good adherence who opt to breastfeed should be clinically supported to do so.

Does CD4 count drop during pregnancy?

There is a slight fall in the mean CD4 count in pregnancy, which is more in the first trimester of pregnancy and in primigravidas. This should not affect the reference values for the initiation of antiretroviral drugs in pregnancy.

Can I breastfeed while taking ARVs?

Mothers who are on consistent antiretroviral treatment (ARV) throughout the breastfeeding period have an extremely low risk of transmitting HIV to their babies. Supporting an HIV-positive woman’s ability to breastfeed through ARV treatment and lactation counseling gives children the lifesaving benefits of breastmilk.

What is a good CD4 count for pregnancy?

The mean CD4 count of the pregnant women was 751.41 cells/microl which was significantly lower than the mean CD4 count of 869 cells/microl for the non-pregnant women. Primigravidas had a lower mean CD4 count than both multiparas and grandmultiparas.

When should I take antiretrovirals during pregnancy?

When should pregnant women with HIV start taking HIV medicines? All pregnant women with HIV should start taking HIV medicines as soon as possible during pregnancy.