Did you know: About last weeks blog I found some new interesting information about HIV, mothers, and babies. I thought that it was pretty interesting that "at least 75% of babies born to HIV positive mothers will test HIV negative without medical intervention. Studies have shown that for properly nourished HIV positive expectant mothers receiving regular prenatal care, over 90% of their children test negative with no drug therapy." I thought that was pretty cool it is amazing how the human body helps preserve the fetus and works at keeping the baby HIV free.
An HIV/AIDS organization: One AIDS organization that I know a lot about is Harlem United in New York City. My dad works for them during the weekends in their mobile testing centers. They do block parties and they drive around the city doing AIDS testing and handing out condoms, and spreading awareness. Harlem United allows people with HIV and AIDs access to a full range of medical, social, and supportive services. Their clients are people living with HIV/AIDS whose diagnoses are often complicated by addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. Many have also faced significant barriers to care due to poverty, race, HIV status, and sexual or gender identity. This organization is very helpful to many of the people living in the city whether its for HIV education, intervention, and awareness programs, or one of the outreach services they provide.
Cites:
- (n.d.). Mothers, Babies and AIDS. Retrieved from aliveandwell.org
- Annabel Kanabus, Jenni Fredriksson-Bass (n.d.). HIV and AIDS in Africa. Retrieved from www.avert.org
- (n.d.). Harlem UnitedCommunity AIDS Center. Retrieved from www.harlemunited.org
Okay I take issue to the comment that 75% of babies born to HIV positive mothers will be HIV negative without medical intervention. What does properly nourished mean? They ate certain foods and miracle of miracles the babies were negative! Where did you get this information from?
ReplyDeleteI know that women who are HIV positive and taking their antiretroviral medications can have HIV negative children, but those mothers that do not take the drugs, will increase their chances of having a positive baby.
"The transformation began in 1994 with a landmark AIDS Clinical Trials Group study that found that if a woman took AZT tablets while pregnant, received AZT intravenously during labor, and gave her newborn AZT syrup for the first six weeks after birth, the baby’s risk of becoming HIV-positive was reduced from 25% to 8%. Since then, it’s been shown that the risk is reduced even further for women who are taking newer antiretroviral drug combinations, which can decrease a patient’s viral load to undetectable levels.
Consequently, the number of HIV-positive babies born annually in the United States has dropped from a high of 2,000 in 1990 to 200 today."
HIVPLUSMag.com
Couples can learn to use a syringe to withdraw semen from a condom and then insert the semen into the vagina, if the woman is infected. Although that may not sound romantic, it is safe. You can also wash the sperm if the male is infected to protect the female. Antiretroviral therapy is the key to having a negative baby. Birth defects from the drugs are the same for any birth defect; less than 3%. There is also in vitro fertilization which isn't cheap. HIVPLUSMag.com