i have been hiv postive for around 8 years now. i currently have one child who is not hiv postive and just recently found out that i am about 2 and half weeks three weeks pregnant. i was taking sustiva when i found out that i was pregnant and my doctor switched me to viramune. Due to the research that i have done i have read that sustiva causes birth defects, since we found out early in my pregnancy and we switched my medication would my baby have a chance of being born with out any sort of birth defects?

Most of the time the mothers who have taken Sustiva have babies with no abnormalities. A very few have had what are called neural tube damage thought to be due to Sustiva. For this reason the maker of Sustiva and the FDA have recommended that women should not take the medicine during pregnancy. In fact it is recommended that women who are of child-bearing age carefully consider whether to take Sustiva if they are not using very effective birth control. But, again, most babies born to moms who took Sustiva do not have birth defects. You have a better than 85% chance of having a baby with no problems related to the Sustiva.

At this point, it is important that you do what you can to reduce any toxins that may get to your baby (tobacco smoke, alcohol, marijuana or other street drugs) and to improve your health (getting good sleep, nutritious meals, taking the antiretrovirals and keeping your prenatal appointments) so your baby has the best chance possible to be healthy.

Be well.