Can A Fetus Get AIDS From The Mother

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U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

AIDS Intervention Programs Reduce Mother-to-Fetus Transmission in China

China's efforts to reduce mother-to-baby HIV transmission are paying off, according to Fu Wei, a senior official with the Ministry of Health. China's pilot program providing free HIV testing and counseling for pregnant women launched in 2003 in... Read more »

Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange

HAART and the Safety of the Fetus

In high-income countries, the widespread availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically decreased deaths from AIDS-related infections. As a result, HIV positive people in these countries are generally living longer,... Read more »

Cambodia to Eradicate HIV/AIDS Infection From Mother to Child by 2020

Cambodia's Ministry of Health has pledged to eradicate mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2020, an advisor said recently. Mean Chhiv Vun, who is also director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, said the nation's 36,077 HIV/AIDS patients include... Read more »

Ask the Experts

What is the mode of maternal transmission to her fetus?

What is the mode of maternal transmission of HIV to her infant? Does HIV cross the placental barrier or does transmission occur during the trauma of the birth process? If it occurs from birth trauma, would C-section be of benefit in reducing...

Response from Rick Sowadsky, M.P.H.

Nevada State Health Division AIDS Program

Hi. Thank you for your question.An infected mother can transmit the virus to her baby one of three ways. First is during pregnancy itself, since the virus can pass through theplacenta, and go directly into the fetus. Second, transmission could... Read more »

he's on sustiva can it harm a fetus?

My husband and i both are hiv+ i am taking crixivan, zerit & epivir. He's on sustiva and combovir. i've heard that there are some negative side effects found in baby monkeys with sustiva. my question should my husband stop taking it?is...

Response from John L. Sullivan, M.D.

University of Massachusetts, Medical School

Sustiva has been associated with birth defects in monkeys receiving the drug during gestation; there is no evidence that a male taking this or any other antiretroviral therapy could harm a partners fetus.JLS.... Read more »

Mother who died from AIDS

My mother died from AIDS in 1986, she was in her early 30's and I was six years old then. What I want to know is that doesn't that automatically mean that I have the HIV and it is not showing up on my test results yet. I have had two...

Response from Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D.

University of Massachusetts, Medical School

If you have had two tests for HIV infection and they are negative, then it is unlikely that you acquired infection from your mother. KL... Read more »

Exactly how is HIV transferred from mother to child?

I realize that hiv can be spread from the mother to the baby during pregnancy or during birth, but I'd like to know exactly how that happens. Is it through the bloodstream? Across the placenta? How does the virus go from mother to child?...

Response from John L. Sullivan, M.D.

University of Massachusetts, Medical School

HIV is transmitted from mother to child during the pregnancy, at the time of birth and through breast feeding; during pregnancy virus can be transmitted from mothers blood across the placenta to the fetus, this occurs predominantly in the 2nd and... Read more »

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my mother died of AIDS

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

I was born 18 years ago, my mother died 3 months later.
I didn't know here but I miss here verry much.
I realy blame myself, becausse if I wasn't born she would of life longer.
Everybody says that she would died anyway, but I just wanted to know... Read more »

mother of 6 with HIV

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

A Mother With HIV

I'm a mother of 6. I found out I was HIV infected about 9 years
ago. It was hard for me at first, but this is my story. When I
first found out about this disease(On Valentinres Day,1989) I was
devistated! I went home from the Drs.... Read more »

My mother was diagnosed

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

She was diagnosed HIV positive 4 months ago and can't get into see the HIV Specialist for another month! She weighs 95 pounds and is extremely itchy. I reside 2200 miles away and can't help her. Does anyone know how far advance she could be? I... Read more »

Mothers with HIV?

Posted by Anonymous

My name is Alysse and I am a senior at Tufts University. I am presently researching the lives of mothers with HIV, and am interested in conducting interviews. If you are a mother with HIV who would not mind sharing her views, please email me.... Read more »

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