Please help. I fell pregnant with my first child in 2001 after five years of not conceiving. My elation was interupted when my doctor notified me I had a postive HIV result. After further investigation and a full viral load, I was reassured that all were negative and that the first result had been a rogue result.. I am now pregnant with my second child, and guess what - I have just put the phone down from my doctor again - who tells me I have a slight negative result again and has recommended further testing (again). Please help me understand how this happens and how I can be again getting a positive result after a full viral load in 2001 said completely negative. I am not in any high risk groups and am yet again - a very stressed pregnant mother!!!

Antibody tests are commonly used to screeen for HIV infection during pregnancy. When these screening test (ELISA) comes up positive, confirmatory antibody testing, and sometimes direct testing for the virus (viral load), are recommended. It sounds as if you had a positive screening antibody with negative further workup, including a viral load. That would rule out infection. It sounds as if your ELISA was positive again. The lab should have already done the confirmatory Western blot. If the Western blot is negative, you are not infected.