False positive result for HIV during pregnancy. What does this mean and what should I do? Blood tests during pregnancy

06.11.2019

We talked about why it is dangerous in our article on this topic. Donating blood to detect antibodies to HIV/AIDS during pregnancy is a mandatory test for every woman, but no one has the right to force her. Consent to conduct research must only be written!

Since the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus occurs not only through sexual contact, but also through blood and breast milk, it is extremely necessary to be tested for HIV during pregnancy in order to prevent the possibility of transmitting the virus to the child. Decide for yourself whether to take this test or not, but remember that your decision largely determines whether your child will become infected.

HIV/AIDS is often asymptomatic, but the first signs of its manifestation may be swollen lymph nodes and pneumonia (pneumonia). Due to the absence of symptoms of the disease in most cases, a blood test is the only way to identify it and begin timely treatment!

Blood test for antibodies to HIV/AIDS is carried out twice during pregnancy - the first blood donation is carried out upon registration, the second - at the 30th week of pregnancy. This need is due to the fact that the body needs about three months to produce antibodies (in case of infection). Therefore, when donating blood for the first time, you may have a negative result, but the second time, antibodies may be detected.

According to statistics, every fourth HIV-infected woman who does not undergo appropriate therapy transmits the virus to the fetus. If the infection did not occur in utero, then without appropriate prevention it can happen during childbirth (through contact with blood and other biological fluids in the birth canal), as well as during breastfeeding. That is why HIV-infected mothers are offered birth by cesarean section and are advised not to breastfeed their baby. It has been proven that cesarean section in combination with antiretroviral treatment reduces the risk of transmission of the virus to the child to less than 1%.

Children of mothers with HIV infection are born with antibodies to HIV/AIDS. These antibodies can disappear up to 18 months if the baby does not become infected with the human immunodeficiency virus during this time. Therefore, it is possible to say with confidence that a child is not sick with HIV only after a year and a half from the moment of his birth.

For blood analysis (test) for HIV/AIDS take blood from the ulnar vein. The analysis result will be ready within 10-14 days. If your result is negative (that is, no antibodies to HIV are detected), then you will receive the next referral for this test no earlier than the 30th week. But if your result is positive, you will have to donate blood again to confirm the diagnosis.

If the result is confirmed positive blood test for HIV-infection, a woman will have to undergo special examinations by an obstetrician-gynecologist and an infectious disease specialist. She will be offered treatment by taking antiretroviral drugs, the main purpose of which is to reduce the risk of infection of the fetus during pregnancy and childbirth. Immediately before childbirth (no matter what it will be - natural or by caesarean section), the woman is subjected to a course of intensive therapy (a complex of antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs).

In order to prevent the baby from developing HIV infection, immediately after birth he will also begin a course of antiretroviral therapy, which will continue for four to six weeks. Research conducted by domestic and foreign experts in this field confirms the safety of such treatment for a child. There has been no increase in the number of children with congenital developmental anomalies from the use of such drugs.

Many pregnant women are interested in how many times are they tested for HIV during pregnancy, what other tests are needed during the entire period of bearing a child? There are certain reasons for taking a blood test for HIV. There is also a mandatory blood draw from pregnant women for this study.

HIV tests detect antibodies that develop in the body in response to the introduction of the human immunodeficiency virus. You need to donate blood one and a half months after the suspected infection (after unprotected intimacy).

Within one and a half to three months, infection antibodies can already be detected in the body in the blood fluid during a standard examination. When performing a PCR analysis, the virus can be detected two weeks after infection. This method is not often prescribed; traditional blood sampling from the cubital vein is often performed.

It is mandatory to draw blood fluid in the following situations:

When it is planned to conceive a child (analysis is taken from both the husband and wife);
In preparation for surgery and before treatment in a hospital setting;
If there is a sudden weight loss for no apparent reason;
After unprotected sexual contact with a casual partner;
If non-sterile needles are used for injections.

Blood sampling is done in order to protect yourself from anxiety and worry, to protect your family, and to start therapy on time (in case of positive results).

When is pregnancy testing necessary?

For pregnant women and developing fetuses, the virus is very dangerous. You can become infected not only through sexual intercourse, but also during labor and breastfeeding. Therefore, it is important to oblige every woman to undergo tests on time in order to protect herself and her unborn baby. And if the result is positive, it is important to prevent transmission of the infection to the child.

The main indications are:

With a sudden loss of body weight;
When sudden sweating occurs at night;
If the lymph nodes are enlarged without obvious reasons;
If there are other infectious diseases that are sexually transmitted;
When body temperature increases and persists for a long time;
With prolonged stomach upset and lack of therapeutic effect from the prescribed medications.

This infection is insidious, since often in the early stages of its development there are no pronounced clinical manifestations. An increase in the size of the lymph nodes and pneumonia should alert you. Since pathology is rarely detected on time, the only method to detect it is a laboratory test of blood fluid. This is the only way to begin timely therapy when positive results are detected.

Many expectant mothers are concerned about how many times during pregnancy they need to take blood tests. Traditionally, such a study is prescribed twice. The first time blood is drawn is when the pregnant woman is registered, the second time is before maternity leave, at the beginning of the third trimester (approximately 30 weeks). Experts explain this diagnostic algorithm by the fact that it takes about 90 days for antibodies to develop during possible infection.

The first time the fluid is taken, the result may be negative, but in the second case, antibodies may already be detected.

Preparatory activities

When donating blood, it is important to prepare properly. Moreover, both men and women must prepare equally. When planning conception, both spouses undergo standard diagnostics.

So, the main preparation is:

Refrain from eating 12 hours before taking biological fluid; you are allowed to drink clean water without gas;
For several days before the expected date of the test, it is important not to consume fried and fatty foods, as well as ethanol-containing drinks;
Do not smoke for two hours before blood collection;
Calm down.

Blood fluid collection is not carried out after previously performed physiotherapeutic manipulations. Otherwise, a false positive HIV test may be detected. Such a study can be carried out in any medical institution or AIDS center. In government institutions, diagnostics are free and anonymous.

Blood is taken from a vein. The results will be ready after seven days. If the answer is negative, the second test is carried out at 30 weeks. If the answer is positive, you will need to retake the test to confirm or refute the false results. If antibodies to the virus are detected, additional examinations are prescribed by infectious disease specialists and gynecologists.

Features of the disease

HIV is a predisposition to immunodeficiency syndrome. Thanks to timely diagnosis, it is possible to take the necessary measures to prevent the transition of this stage of the disease to AIDS. It is important to remember that if a pregnant woman is a carrier of the disease, this does not mean that the child will necessarily have this infection. A baby can become infected only if antiretroviral therapy is not carried out, in the absence of examination and timely measures taken.

A child can become infected through the placenta, during natural delivery, or through breast milk during breastfeeding. Saliva does not contain virus particles. Also, this infection cannot be transmitted through the air during communication, coughing or sneezing, or shaking hands.

If a pregnant woman has a positive result for this test, she needs to register with an infectious disease specialist. The specialist prescribes certain medications that reduce the risk of infection of the child during pregnancy and labor. Taking these medications is mandatory. They are safe for the developing fetus.

If positive results are detected a second time after diagnosis, there is no need to panic. Currently, there are effective methods of intensive therapeutic intervention. In this case, a planned caesarean section and antiretroviral therapy for the baby is prescribed for one and a half months.

By following all medical prescriptions, you can reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to your child. If necessary, the woman is sent to regional hospitals, where a competent infectious disease specialist prescribes her a course of the most appropriate antiretroviral therapy.

Sometimes the test can show a false positive result. This can happen if the rules for preparing for blood donation are not followed, or if the biomaterial is transported incorrectly.

Therefore, in this case, a repeat study is indicated to clarify the results. Treatment can also be carried out in Israel, using modern methods and therapy algorithms, in public or private medical institutions.

The importance of diagnostics

In the absence of the necessary tests, the pregnant woman is not hospitalized in a regular ward, but is placed in an infectious disease ward. And this risks the fact that the body, weakened by pregnancy, may contract any viral or infectious diseases. In addition, visitors (neither friends nor relatives) are not allowed into this box. It's hard psychologically and morally.

In addition, the tests allow the gynecologist managing the pregnancy to prescribe treatment for detected diseases in a timely manner. If necessary, multivitamin complexes, immunostimulating drugs, and antibacterial agents are prescribed. Mutual cooperation between the doctor and the expectant mother makes it possible to successfully carry and safely give birth to a healthy baby, without worrying about transmitting any infections to him.

The site is a medical portal for online consultations of pediatric and adult doctors of all specialties. You can ask a question on the topic "HIV test during pregnancy" and get a free online doctor’s consultation.

Ask your question

Questions and answers on: HIV testing during pregnancy

2010-10-13 00:24:37

Julia asks:

Please, answer my question: the first HIV test during pregnancy was negative, my husband’s was negative, my last extramarital affair was more than four years ago... and the partner’s status is unknown... the question is this: second, third, fourth I took it for a medical examination once and the FA stubbornly shows positive.... Moreover, several of these times also hepatitis C is positive.... (the latter is really negative (this despite the fact that the PTS says that hepatitis C has been detected) What is it? Maybe Is it possible that if the FA shows positive three times in a row, it could be a reaction to a “foreign protein”, pregnancy, or would it show differently?

Answers Silko Yaroslav Gennadievich:

PCR for hepatitis C indicates that the virus is present in the blood at the moment, although ELISA for hepatitis may be negative, since there are not enough antibodies or they have not yet been detected. The presence of a negative test for HIV, and then a positive one, may indicate that that you were infected during pregnancy or this is a false positive result (which is very rare during pregnancy). During pregnancy, you could only become infected through sexual contact, through drug use, or transfusion of infected blood. In any case, you need to contact the regional AIDS center, where they should take your HIV viral load (this will show whether there is a virus and its quantity). And my husband must repeat the HIV test now at the AIDS center and in a month (if the result is negative).

2014-04-04 11:19:27

Julia asks:

My husband and I took tests for HIV 3.5 years ago: when we came to get the result, I was negative, but they didn’t tell my husband the answer right away, but only 2 days later it turned out to be positive. He began to experience depression, binge drinking, etc. He refuses to take it again. And he is afraid to have a child. He is my doctor, he himself says that due to problems with the liver (he has some), there may be a positive result. What to do? Can I refuse to donate blood for HIV during pregnancy and when the baby is born?

Answers Gritsko Marta Igorevna:

Yes, you can refuse to take an HIV test. I would advise my husband to retake the test; it could be false positive. Was your husband in contact with HIV-infected people due to his occupation?

2015-12-01 07:40:38

Natalya asks:

Hello! I am 25 years old. In October 2014, the erosion was cauterized with a laser. To determine the cause, I took tests for hormones, torch, rubella, HIV, and a biopsy. Everything is okay. In May 2015 there was a miscarriage at 6 weeks. (I managed to get pregnant on the 4th cycle). After the miscarriage and cleansing, I took it for approx. 3 months. We're planning again. In August 2015, simple leukoplakia was diagnosed (biopsy confirmed). I tested for HPV type 21 - nothing was found. I took the torch test again - everything was clear. The doctor insists on treatment with proteflazid and mandatory cauterization with a laser before pregnancy. Another doctor says that the cervix should not be touched under any circumstances before pregnancy! There is a lot written on the Internet about how you can get pregnant and be monitored, and cauterized after childbirth. How do you see this situation? Should I cauterize the leukoplakia or wait until pregnancy and childbirth? If I cauterize, will there be any complications during pregnancy and childbirth? Is it worth taking proteflazid? (If HPV is negative). I really want to hear your opinion!!! Thank you

Answers Palyga Igor Evgenievich:

Hello, Natalia! One thing I can say for sure is that you don’t need proteflazid. What exactly are you going to treat with it? Leukoplakia? Taking this drug will definitely not make it go away. It is almost impossible to draw conclusions virtually regarding the condition of the cervix; it is necessary to see the picture and conclusion of colposcopy and biopsy. Theoretically, if histology confirms the presence of leukoplakia, then it is recommended to cauterize it before pregnancy. If the manipulation is adequately carried out, there should be no complications in the future; you are not being offered conization.

2015-01-28 12:36:20

Laura asks:

Why can you get a false positive result when testing a blood for HIV if a woman does not know that she is pregnant? How can blood tests be similar for pregnancy and HIV?

2014-12-16 17:40:15

Victoria asks:

Hello! Tell me, could the HIV test be incorrect if I took it during a year during pregnancy, I was in the hospital with the baby, and my husband tested for HIV a year later? He had no contacts on the side. Could his test be false positive? if he has a diseased liver.

Answers Sukhov Yuri Alexandrovich:

Hello, Victoria. Testing blood serum for HIV using ELISA is a preliminary procedure; this is the first stage of testing for HIV. Sincerely, YuSukhov.

2014-12-04 09:06:22

Tatiana asks:

Hello, this is the situation, I gave birth to a child, took tests during pregnancy like everyone else, and a year later I found out that my husband has been diagnosed with HIV for 6 years, tell me how can I and the child be healthy? I can't find a place for myself. Thank you

Answers Yanchenko Vitaly Igorevich:

Hello Tatiana! You need to undergo an anonymous examination at special HIV centers. You can find out about this by calling the helpline, which you can find on the Internet for your region. Good luck to you!

2014-10-15 07:11:58

Alina asks:

Hello, I took tests during pregnancy at 22 weeks, and here is the result, the doctor referred me to an infectious disease specialist without explaining what was wrong with me.... The blood is negative for HIV...
Bil-15.1
Glu-4.37
O, white - 80.0
Kreat-54
B;L-5.4
ALT-26
ACE-21
Urea-2.0
Creatinine-46.0
Glucose-4.62
Cholesterol-3.92
PTV-10.9
INR-1.00
fibrinogen-4.5
APTT-26.8
D-DIMER-266.00
Percentage of activity on Kwik - 109.0
Please tell me what's wrong with me????

Answers Zaitsev Igor Anatolievich:

Hello, Alina. The tests that I see are normal, so I think that the reason for the referral to an infectious disease specialist is some other reason. Ask your doctor or infectious disease specialist about this if you have already been there.

2014-09-07 18:27:00

Tanya asks:

Good evening! please tell me, my husband had HIV, he died in 2012... I didn’t know about the disease until it started to progress (I stopped taking pills), we didn’t use protection. we had a healthy daughter in 2010, he knew that there was a chance of getting pregnant and getting sick, but he didn’t use a condom, and I had no idea that he was sick! After his death, I took tests 8 times already... I’m still afraid of what might manifest in me or my daughter...! Could it come out after some time on me or my child...?
I got married, maybe I have another child, can it come out during pregnancy?
Is there a chance that the unborn child will have it? Can I give birth calmly and not worry that my current husband, daughter and our future child are safe?
What do i do?
Two days after birth, my daughter was tested for HIV - it was negative... (now I can’t understand whether my husband asked or whether it was necessary, I gave birth in a regular maternity hospital)!
thanks in advance for your answer

Answers Sukhov Yuri Alexandrovich:

Hello, Tanya. You actually have a lot of questions, but few concrete research results. There is no need to worry so much, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination. Taking into account the timing, with a probability of 99.9, after an appropriate examination, it is possible to clarify your condition and give recommendations. And also, keep in mind that chronic stress (like you have now!) reduces immunity! Contact us. Sincerely, Yu Sukhov.

2014-06-10 11:30:38

Sveta asks:

My period is 11 days late. The tests are negative. Upon examination, they say that the pregnancy is 5-6 weeks. Diagnoses trichomoniasis. Refers for tests for HIV, syphilis and cancer cells. What should I do? Get crazy. Help.

Answers Wild Nadezhda Ivanovna:

During pregnancy and when registering for pregnancy, these tests are taken twice, so I recommend calming down and donating blood tests for RV and HIV. A cytological examination of the smear, that is, a smear taken for “cancer cells,” is carried out in all women examined by a gynecologist. To confirm the presence of pregnancy, an ultrasound scan is necessary.

Ask your question

What are perinatal infections?

A blood test for intrauterine (perinatal) infections is given no more than 2 times: at the antenatal clinic “for pregnancy and childbirth” and at 30 weeks of gestation.

Perinatal infections are a disease of bacterial or viral etiology, transmitted from mother to child hematogenously, or when the child passes through the birth canal.

Determining the infection contributes to the correct selection of treatment and management plan for the pregnant woman. In the process of planning pregnancy, it is a prerequisite.

Infectious fetopathy has recently “taken the lead” in the development of intrauterine fetal defects and death.

Types of perinatal infections include:

Cytomegalovirus;
Simple virus;
German measles is better known as "";
Beta - streptococcus.

Serious diseases such as HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, which are types of IUI, are characterized by increased fetal susceptibility to these pathogenic agents.

Depending on the causative agent, PIs are:

Bacterial;
Viral;
Protozoans;
Spirochetes;
Mixed.

What infections are transmitted through the placenta to the baby?

The route of entry of the infectious agent into the amniotic fluid and the child’s body is transplacental.

The infection travels through the bloodstream, having a detrimental effect on the maternal and child’s body. This infection is characterized by an increased hemoplacental barrier.

Other ways of entry of bacteria and viruses:

Sexual path.
Invasive path.
Infection during childbirth.
Lactation path.

Infections that cross the placental barrier:

Perinatal infections that occur through the fetoplacental barrier are collected in a group called.

Explanation: T-toxoplasmosis, O – others, R – rubella, C – cytomegalovirus, H – herpes.

“Others” (O) include sexually transmitted infections: hepatitis B and C, HIV,.

Symptoms of diseases

Signs of HIV infection during pregnancy

weakness;
body temperature is slightly elevated;
papular and petechial rash on the body and genitals;
enlarged lymph nodes;

Vertical infection of the fetus varies from 30 to 60% in the absence of supportive drug therapy.

The risk of infection through the placenta does not exceed 30%. When passing through the birth canal, the probability of infection is 90%.

Congenital HIV develops aggressively and after 4-5 years leads to acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome.

Signs of syphilis

characteristic symptoms (chills, body aches);
feverish condition;
sharp;
the main and indisputable sign of syphilis is the appearance of chancre (a rash with a convex zone formed on the genitals and in the mouth area);
ulcers and ulcers appear at a late stage.

Syphilis is a disease related to an STI. It is rare nowadays. Perfectly amenable to therapy.

During pregnancy, it is detected in 1 blood screening.

The probability of a child becoming infected in the absence of treatment is 100%, of which 40% lead to the birth of a stillborn baby.

The pathogen causes damage to the central nervous system, anemia, and fetoplacental insufficiency in the child.

Viral hepatitis B and C: symptoms

There are no specific manifestations of symptoms of the disease during pregnancy.

Among the indirect signs:

sleep disturbance;
nausea with paroxysmal vomiting;
stool lightening;
change in the nature of urine (color and acidity);
low-grade fever.

With hepatitis C in pregnant women, the clinical picture is mild. The main pathological processes occur inside the body: enlargement of the liver, spleen, the appearance of free fluid in the abdominal cavity - ascites.

Screening

is a type of blood test that allows you to diagnose the presence of infection in the mother’s body.

Prenatal diagnosis can reduce the risk of intrauterine infection of the fetus.

Timing of the screening test for PI

When registering before 12 weeks of gestation, the first screening is performed.

30 weeks of gestation – perinatal infections.

Upon admission to the hospital, it is mandatory to take blood from a pregnant woman to test HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C.

Tests for AIDS and syphilis are included in the list of mandatory tests upon admission to hospital to establish the immune status of a pregnant woman.

Preparation for submitting biomaterial for analysis

The main condition is to draw blood on an empty stomach;
On the eve of the test, do not eat fatty foods rich in protein;
Avoid alcohol 5 days before taking blood;
Do not attend physical procedures and do not perform X-ray diagnostics;
Avoid overexertion and stress;
A few days before the test, do not eat foods containing carotene (carrots, pears);
On the day of the test, you can drink weak sweet tea - this will not affect the result in any way.

The blood collection procedure is carried out in the treatment room by puncture of the elbow vein.

The analysis is taken using sterile medical gloves.

How does the analysis work?

Determination of blood infection with the human immunodeficiency virus is carried out by an enzyme immunoassay type of laboratory analysis. Specific antibodies to the immunodeficiency virus are detected in the patient’s blood.

A positive ELISA test is confirmed by polymerase chain reaction to the RNA of the virus.

The research takes on average 3 days. In addition, there is a rapid diagnosis of HIV infection, but it must also be confirmed.

Testing for syphilis is divided into 2 categories:

Express diagnostics with dry solution. It is carried out in the laboratory by applying biological fluid to a test strip with cardiolipin antigen.
Wasserman reaction– pregnant woman’s blood serum is titrated. By adding antigen and complement (binding protein). The deposited sediment in the test tube with the test sample is a positive result - syphilis is “detected”.

Hepatitis is determined by ELISA diagnostics. The method allows you to determine immunoglobulins M and G.

Analysis methods for identifying sexually transmitted diseases

- one of the methods used. The analysis identifies bacterial and viral infections.
Bacteriological – growing crops in enriched media. This method cannot detect HIV, AIDS and hepatitis.
Microscopic analysis of biological fluid, scrapings, sputum, saliva and semen.

Decoding the results

The result can be of two types:

Positive. Indicates the presence of infection in acute or chronic form; latent carriage and false positive result (repeated after 1 month);
Negative. There is no disease, or the infection has been overcome and the person is healthy.

Decoding hepatitis B

A positive result confirms the established diagnosis, that is, the pregnant woman has hepatitis B.

Decoding hepatitis C

A positive result means further testing with re-diagnosis. The disease has been confirmed.

Decoding syphilis

2 stripes on the express test indicate the development of treponematous infection.

Decoding HIV

The received form with the test results is stamped with a stamp indicating the status.

Video: blood test for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C during pregnancy

Pregnancy is wonderful moments, it is dreams and dreams, it is real happiness, especially if it is long-awaited. The expectant mother is making plans for how her life will change with the birth of her baby. And in the midst of all this, like a point-blank shot, the diagnosis of HIV can strike. The first feeling is panic. Life is falling apart, everything is going topsy-turvy, but you need to find the strength to stop and think carefully. Pregnancy and HIV are not a death sentence. In addition, you first need to confirm how reliable the diagnosis is.

Better late than even later

Indeed, for many women it is unclear why they need to constantly undergo tests for various infections during pregnancy. After all, they have a happy family, and this definitely cannot happen to them. In fact, pregnancy and HIV very often go hand in hand. It’s just that this disease is very insidious; it can be completely invisible for ten to twelve years. Even if there are a couple of lumps (lymph nodes) on the neck, this may go unnoticed. In some cases, the temperature may rise slightly, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea may appear.

In order to identify the disease, special laboratory tests are needed. The program for the protection of motherhood and childhood necessarily includes careful consideration of the expectant mother. This is why pregnancy and HIV are two concepts that are often found together. Perhaps, if not for the interesting situation, the woman would never have consulted a doctor.

Diagnostics

As has already been said, the only reliable method of diagnosis is laboratory tests. When a woman registers for pregnancy, she is sent for tests from the first day. It should be noted that they cannot be prescribed forcibly, without the consent of the patient. But this is in your interests, because pregnancy and HIV, occurring simultaneously in the body, should not be left without the supervision of a doctor.

The most popular diagnostic method is ELISA, which detects antibodies to HIV in the patient’s blood serum. PCR allows you to detect the virus cells themselves in the blood. Typically, this examination is carried out when there is already a suspicion of HIV in order to accurately make a diagnosis.

If the doctor tells you such unpleasant news, you should not panic. HIV and pregnancy can coexist quite peacefully, and you may well give birth to a healthy baby. At the same time, we must not forget that it is vital for you to work closely with your doctor, take tests and follow recommendations.

Could there be an error?

Of course it can! This is why you should definitely undergo further examination, especially if you are confident in your partner. The fact is that primary diagnosis is carried out using the already designated ELISA method, which can give both false-positive and false-negative results. HIV and pregnancy at the same time is a blow for any expectant mother, but we must remember that the results obtained are not completely reliable.

A false negative result may occur if the infection occurred very recently. That is, a person is already a carrier, but the body has not yet had time to react and develop protection, antibodies, which doctors find. False-positive tests are even more common, especially in pregnant women. The reasons lie in the physiology of this difficult period. Of course, anyone will not be able to sleep when such news arrives, but first of all you need to weigh how possible such a development of events is, what were the prerequisites for this, and, of course, continue the examination.

Course of pregnancy

HIV and pregnancy can run their course without affecting each other too much. Pregnancy does not accelerate the progression of infection in women who are at an early stage of disease development. According to statistics, the number of pregnancy complications in this case in infected women practically does not exceed that in women without HIV. The only exception is that bacterial pneumonia is diagnosed somewhat more often.

An HIV test during pregnancy is also necessary to assess the stage of development of the disease. By the way, if we compare the mortality rate between those who gave birth and those who refused to do so (we are talking about termination of pregnancy after diagnosis), there are practically no differences.

However, as you already understand, the course of pregnancy very much depends on how long ago the disease has been developing, what stage it was at the time of conception, as well as on the condition of the body. The later the stage, the more complications may arise. These may include frequent and severe bleeding, anemia and premature birth, stillbirth, low fetal weight, and postpartum endometritis. Thus, the more severe the disease, the less chance of carrying and giving birth.

Clinical picture during pregnancy

This point is especially important for those women who learned about their disease already during pregnancy. How does HIV progress during pregnancy, what are the symptoms and treatment of this disease in expectant mothers? These are questions the answers to which could help many women evaluate what is happening to them and take adequate measures. But, unfortunately, it is difficult to describe them more or less accurately. The fact is that the immunodeficiency virus develops and progresses against the background of a weakening of the body’s protective functions. And the more the immune system retreats under its onslaught, the more pronounced the symptoms will be.

Usually, 6-8 weeks after infection, a person begins to experience the first signs, which the expectant mother can easily mistake for a typical pregnancy picture. At this time, you may experience increased fatigue, fever and decreased performance, as well as diarrhea.

What is the main difficulty? This stage does not last long - just two weeks, and the symptoms subside. Now the disease is taking a latent form. The virus enters the persistence stage. The period can be very long, ranging from two to 10 years. Moreover, if we talk about women, then they have a tendency to have a long latent stage; in men it is shorter and does not exceed 5 years.

During this period, all lymph nodes enlarge. This is a suspicious symptom that requires examination. However, here lies the second difficulty: enlarged lymph nodes during pregnancy are normal and very common in healthy people. However, this symptom should definitely alert the expectant mother. It’s better to be on the safe side than to lose precious time.

Intrauterine development of the baby

In this matter, doctors were very interested in one point, namely, at what time the infection occurs. A lot of information for this was provided by tissues from spontaneous miscarriages and infected mothers. Thus, it was found that the virus is capable of causing intrauterine infection already in the first trimester, but the likelihood of this is not too high. In this case, children are born with the most severe lesions. As a rule, they do not live long.

More than half of all cases of infection occur in the third trimester, the period immediately before childbirth and the birth itself.

It is also interesting that until recently, the detection of antibodies to HIV in the blood of a pregnant woman was an indication for immediate termination of pregnancy. This is associated with a high risk of fetal infection. However, today the situation has changed. Thanks to modern treatment, a woman is not sent even for a planned caesarean section if she receives the necessary treatment.

The probability of infection of the baby

As we know, according to statistics, the immunodeficiency virus is transmitted from mother to child. This is one of three ways of infection. HIV positive during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with a congenital disorder by 17-50%. However, antiviral treatment reduces the likelihood of perinatal transmission to 2%. However, when prescribing therapy, it is necessary to take into account the course of pregnancy. HIV, as we have already described, can also be different. Factors that increase the likelihood of passing it on to the fetus are:

late treatment when the disease has reached an advanced stage;
infection during pregnancy;
complicated pregnancy and difficult childbirth;
damage to the fetal skin during childbirth.

Infection during childbirth

In fact, if you test positive for HIV during pregnancy, you may well give birth to a healthy baby. But he will be born with his mother's antibodies. This means that immediately after birth the child will also be HIV positive. But for now this only means that his body does not have its own antibodies, but only maternal ones. It will take another 1-2 years until they completely disappear from the baby’s body, and now it will be possible to say for sure whether the child has become infected.

The expectant mother should know that HIV during pregnancy can be transmitted to the baby during intrauterine development. However, the higher the mother’s immunity, the better the placenta works, that is, the organ that protects the fetus from viruses and bacteria in the maternal blood. If the placenta is inflamed or damaged, the likelihood of infection increases. This is another reason why it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination by your doctor.

But most often, infection occurs during childbirth. Therefore, pregnancy with HIV infection must be accompanied by mandatory antiviral therapy to reduce this likelihood to a minimum. The fact is that while passing through the birth canal, the baby has a high chance of coming into contact with blood, which dramatically increases the possibility of infection. If you remember from school, this is the shortest route of transmission of the virus. Caesarean section is recommended if a large number of viruses are detected in the blood.

After childbirth

As we have already said, an HIV test during pregnancy is necessary so that in case of a positive result, the mother can undergo full-fledged therapy and maintain her health. During pregnancy, physiological suppression of the immune system occurs. So while the previous study looked only at pregnancy, others have gone further and found that the development of HIV may accelerate after childbirth. Over the next two years, the disease may progress to a much more severe stage. Therefore, you cannot rely only on the desire to become a mother. Consultation with a doctor is required at the planning stage. Only this approach can become your assistant. HIV positive during pregnancy can seriously undermine health, which subsequently leads to a reduction in quality of life.

Breastfeeding and its dangers

The pregnancy of HIV-infected people can proceed very well when the baby develops normally and is born completely healthy. Of course, his blood will contain the mother’s antibodies, but they may not have an effect on the child’s immunity. However, now the mother faces a choice whether to feed her baby breast milk. The doctor must explain that breastfeeding almost doubles the risk of infection. So giving it up will be the best choice. High-quality formulas will give the baby much better chances for the future.

Your risks

There are a number of factors that may not work in your favor. This is primarily a weakening of the mother's immunity. A high, that is, a large number of viruses in a woman’s blood is also a bad sign. In this case, the doctor may suggest terminating the pregnancy. We have already talked about breastfeeding - 2/3 of all cases of infection of a child from his mother occur during the first six weeks of life. Multiple pregnancy is also a risk factor.

First of all, the expectant mother needs to register as early as possible. Be sure to follow all the recommendations of your doctor, then you will have a better chance of giving birth to a healthy baby. Starting from the 14th week, a pregnant woman can take the antiviral drug Azidothymidine or its analogue. She receives such prevention completely free of charge. If a woman, for a number of reasons, did not take it before the 34th week, then she needs to start doing so at a later date. However, the earlier treatment is started, the less chance the mother has of passing the disease on to her baby.

Treatment

HIV therapy during pregnancy requires careful consideration of the mother's condition and the duration of pregnancy. That is why leave it to an experienced doctor and under no circumstances try to self-medicate. If you consulted a specialist before pregnancy, at the time of planning it, then most likely you will be prescribed combination therapy. The decision to start it is made on the basis of two tests - the level of CD-4 cells and the viral load. Current treatment requires the simultaneous use of two or more antiviral drugs.

An HIV test (pregnancy is a reason to cancel combination therapy) is the starting test on which all further treatment is based. Only one antiviral drug is left for the expectant mother in order to prevent infection of the baby.

If a woman took combination therapy before pregnancy, then if pregnancy occurs, she is recommended to take a break for the first trimester. In this case, blood for HIV during pregnancy is taken, as a rule, three times, and in a particular case the number of samples can be increased at the discretion of the doctor. The rest of the treatment is symptomatic. This allows you to reduce the risk of developmental defects in the unborn baby, as well as avoid the dangerous state of resistance, in which the virus is no longer treatable.

What a woman should remember

Despite the fact that the achievements of modern medicine make it possible to reduce the risk of infection of a child from his own mother to 2%, it still exists. Therefore, you need to weigh the pros and cons, because a woman, even if she is HIV-infected, wants to carry and give birth to a healthy baby. The difficulty is that you will not know for a long time whether your baby was born HIV-positive, and this cannot be predicted in advance. So you have a long and tedious wait ahead of you. The ELISA will give a positive result approximately 6 months after birth, so be patient.

When deciding to give birth, a woman should know what awaits her child if he falls into this unlucky 2%. We remind you that such a minimal probability of giving birth to a baby with the immunodeficiency virus is only possible if the woman did not follow all the doctors’ recommendations, did not undergo constant examinations and did not take medications exactly according to the regimen.

HIV is most severe in those babies who are infected in utero. The symptoms in this case are much more pronounced, and often such children do not live to see one year old. A smaller number manage to experience adolescence, but their life in adulthood can only be predicted hypothetically, since so far there have been no such cases.

Infection with HIV during childbirth or breastfeeding is somewhat easier, because the virus affects an already formed body with a developing immune system. However, the child's life expectancy will be very limited. Usually doctors do not make a prognosis longer than 20 years.

Prevention

Congenital HIV infection means hospitals and medications from childhood. Of course, everything must be done to prevent such developments. Therefore, it is very important to carry out timely prevention of this disease. Today this work is carried out in three directions. First of all, this is HIV prevention among women of childbearing age. The second direction is the prevention of unwanted pregnancies among women with HIV. Finally, the last thing is the prevention of transmission of infection from a woman to her child.

Testing positive for HIV during pregnancy is not the end of the world. However, a woman must be aware that she has a chance to infect her baby. Modern therapy has greatly increased the life expectancy of an HIV-positive person. Many live 20 years or more after infection. However, if for an adult this is a whole life, then for a child it is a chance to meet youth and leave. Medical achievements do not relieve women of responsibility, so first of all, each of them should think about the future of their baby.

Instead of a conclusion

This is a topic that you can talk about endlessly, and there will still be a lot of unsaid. An HIV diagnosis is like a bad dream, ruining all plans for the future, but it is especially tragic to learn about your diagnosis during pregnancy. In this case, the expectant mother faces a difficult choice and enormous responsibility. Give up your baby or give birth? Will he be healthy or will he face endless treatment? All these questions do not have a clear answer. Today we gave you a brief tour and talked about the main problems associated with pregnancy in infected women.

Of course, the achievements of modern medicine have made it possible for a huge number of women to experience the joy of motherhood. Today, people diagnosed with HIV believe that they are full members of society, have the right to a family and the birth of healthy children.

« Promises but doesn't deliver what to do

Cool laws of the world You can't die in parliament »

2024 happykmv.ru - We know everything about the holidays. Informational portal

Feedback

Star news