It is recommended that AIDS treatment during pregnancy be identical to other AIDS treatment of women who are not pregnant. If a woman in her first trimester has not begun AIDS treatment, it may be possible to postpone treatment until the second trimester, when drug-related risks to the baby are smaller. Otherwise, a woman who has already been taking medication will generally be recommended to continue AIDS treatment throughout the pregnancy.
HIV-infected individuals are typically treated with combinations of HIV-fighting drugs that slow down the spread of the virus in the body, keep the blood levels of the virus low, and help prevent AIDS-related infections.
In 2002, the U.S. Public Health Service released guidelines recommending that infected pregnant women be offered HIV-fighting drugs both to protect AIDS transmission to their child as well as to maintain their own health. The drug zidovudine (ZDV) has been shown to reduce the risk of transmission by two-thirds.
ZDV could be taken in combination with protease inhibitor drugs, or with the drugs 3TC or nevirapine during labor in women without prior treatment. In addition, it is believed that delivery by a caesarian section reduces the risk of AIDS transmission, and newborns should be treated with ZDV for the first six weeks after birth. It is important to let your health care provider know if you are HIV positive, so that specific measures can be taken so as to avoid the exposure of the baby to the mother's blood during pregnancy and delivery.
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