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PREGNANCY AND HIV |
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If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, there is important new information
for you. Doctors can now help you protect your baby from HIV, the virus that causes
AIDS.
Knowing if you have HIV can help your baby and you.
- If you have HIV, there is a one in four chance that your baby will get the virus.
But now, there are special medicines that you can take while pregnant that will
reduce your infant's chance of being infected with HIV.
- If you have HIV, you can protect your baby by not breast feeding. If you have HIV,
your breast milk can infect your child.
- If you have HIV, your doctor can test your baby to find out if he or she is infected,
and if so give the special medical care your baby needs.
- If you have HIV, you can begin getting the care you need to stay healthy longer.
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Talk to your doctor:
- Learn the Facts about HIV and pregnancy to protect your baby. Your doctor can answer
your questions so you can decide what's best for you and your baby.
- Your immune system may work differently during pregnancy, so your doctor will watch
you closely. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
- Will pregnancy affect my HIV infection?
- Will the medicines I take for HIV be safe for me and my baby?
- Will my baby get sick?
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Testing and treatment:
- In the state of Iowa, all pregnant woman in prenatal care are tested for HIV
unless they specifically decline.
- Blood for a HIV test can be drawn in your doctor's office.
- A small amount of blood will be taken for testing. Usually, you will have your results
in less than two weeks.
- HIV test results are confidential.
- It is against the law for any health provider to tell anyone not involved in your
medical care, about your test without your permission.
- After birth your baby should be tested regularly for HIV infection, whether or not
HIV is present at birth. Because HIV infection can be passed through breast
milk, you should not breastfeed your baby.
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