HIV and Pregnancy
Did You Know?
- HIV infection in women has increased significantly
- Women of color and young women are at greatest risk?
- Sexual contact with infected male IV drug users is the most common route of transmission?
Did you know?
You might be at risk for the AIDS virus, HIV, if you have:
- had sex with someone whose sexual or drug using history you don’t know
- had a partner who had sex with other people
- had sex with a hemophiliac (person with a blood clotting disorder)
- shared needles while injecting drugs or had sex with someone who did
- received a blood transfusion before 1985
- had a sexually transmitted disease
- had a needle stick or contact with someone else’s blood.
- Knowing your HIV status is more important than ever. New research is showing that people with HIV disease can stay healthy and live longer with early treatment.The number of babies born who are HIV+ has been dramatically reduced in recent years. This is due to increased HIV testing of pregnant women and treatment with medications during pregnancy.
- Breastfeeding can pass HIV to a baby. If you know you have HIV, you can avoid breastfeeding.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease control recommends that all pregnant women be offered HIV testing.
- You can have a confidential HIV test in the clinic. Ask your doctor, nurse midwife, or nurse if you would like to be tested.
Do you know how to protect yourself against HIV?
- Limit sexual contact to one partner who is not infected and not using drugs.
- Limit the number of partners and always use a condom (rubber).
- Never share needles or syringes.
- Enroll in a treatment program if you are a drug user. Both alcohol and drugs can impair judgment and lead you to take risks.
- If you are a health care worker, consistently use Universal Precautions.
For more information about HIV infection or testing, call the National AIDS Hotline at:
English speaking: 1-800-342-AIDS
Spanish speaking: 1-800-344-7432
Hearing impaired, TTY:1-800-243-7889
For information about treatment, call the AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS) at 1-800-HIV-0440. Peer Review Status: Internally
Peer Review Date: 2004
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