I was recently tested for HIV in January 2002 with the result being negative. I hadn't slept with anyone in over 9 months. I then became intimate with someone else 6 months later and almost immediately became pregnant which led to a routine test for the HIV virus. After just two months of being with this individual I received a HIV positive test. The Westeren Blot has not been administered yet. I am to have it done in a few more months. However, my question is, would a test come up positive in just 2 months and what causes a pregnant womans test to come back as a false positive. The antigens or antibodies that can possible become active in pregnant able to reproduce at a faster rate than in someone recently infected. Please, please respond as I am depressed beyond belief.

Prgenancy may cause a false positive screening test called an Elisa. The western blot should have been done on the same specimen and the results back relatively soon unless there was not enough blood sample to be tested. Has your partner been tested? If he is the only one you have had sex with since your last negative test and he is negative, then that may help ease your mind. If your doctor and you are concerned that you just acquired HIV, then you should have a HIV viral load measured and antibody testing in follow up. You can have false positive HIV viral loads but the amount of virus is usually much lower than one would expect in primary infection. Best to do repeat Elisa and if positive, western blot testing.