Prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child. Proper treatment, healthy baby

Doctors at Hai Duong Tropical Diseases Hospital advise patients on how to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child.

Happiness burst

Five years ago, Ms. VTM, born in 1991, discovered that she was HIV positive. At that time, everything seemed to collapse before her eyes because she was too young, had never given birth, and was in a difficult situation due to illness. However, after being examined and treated for HIV according to the regimen at Hai Duong Tropical Diseases Hospital, both Ms. M's spirit and health improved significantly.

After being consulted by doctors, the young woman's desire to become a mother became even more intense. Ms. M. presented her wishes to the doctors and was carefully guided to prepare for a safe pregnancy and childbirth. Up to now, after fully complying with the treatment guidelines for preventing HIV transmission from mother to child, Ms. M. gave birth to a completely healthy baby girl. "When I discovered I was sick, I was very depressed. Now I am very happy. Having a child not only adds joy to my life but also gives me more motivation to fight the disease and live better every day," Ms. M. shared.

Ms. M's joy is also the joy of many HIV-infected women who strictly follow the treatment regimen and give birth to healthy children, without HIV transmission from mother to child. Specialist Doctor Vu Tien Vuong, Head of the Examination Department (Hai Duong Tropical Diseases Hospital) said: "HIV-infected women can still give birth to healthy children if detected early and properly cared for. The most important thing is to comply with the ARV treatment regimen before, during and after pregnancy."

The care process for pregnant women with HIV includes: Continuing regular ARV treatment, regular prenatal check-ups, and regular viral load testing. The mother gives birth by cesarean section, does not breastfeed after birth (feeds formula milk instead), the child is given medication to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission within 6 weeks (42 days), and is tested for HIV according to the monitoring regimen. There are cases where HIV is only detected when the pregnant woman goes into labor. In this situation, the child needs to be given preventive medication immediately after birth. In other cases, when detected early in pregnancy or ARV treatment has been given before, the result of giving birth to a child without HIV infection is almost 100% if the treatment regimen is strictly followed.

Improving the effectiveness of preventing HIV transmission from mother to child

According to statistics from the health sector, the city currently has thousands of people infected with HIV/AIDS. Over the past time, the city has continuously expanded access to ARV drugs, while implementing effective intervention measures. These efforts have contributed to prolonging life and improving the quality of life for people infected with HIV.

However, there are still a number of young women infected with HIV who want to have children and need support, because pregnant mothers infected with HIV are at high risk of infection; and are prone to pregnancy complications such as premature labor, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

To meet the wishes of many women and improve the effectiveness of preventing HIV transmission from mother to child, Dr. Vuong proposed to strengthen training for health workers in communes, wards, hospitals and private clinics. At the same time, promote communication and integrate information on HIV transmission prevention with other health programs such as hepatitis B vaccination. Along with that, raise awareness among pregnant women about the importance of regular HIV testing and adherence to treatment if the disease is detected.

According to the City Center for Disease Control, the treatment of HIV transmission from mother to child with ARV drugs is completely safe for both mother and fetus. In fact, cases of children born to HIV-infected mothers who have been treated with ARV drugs in the past are healthy and developing normally. To effectively prevent and reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child in pregnant mothers with HIV, mothers need to go to specialized medical facilities for consultation, maternity care, monitoring, and proper treatment, and strictly follow the doctor's instructions.

The success in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV is a testament to the remarkable progress in medicine and the efforts of the entire health system. With timely support and treatment, women living with HIV can still safely become mothers. It is important to raise awareness, increase access to health services and spread positive messages so that every woman living with HIV has the opportunity to give birth to a healthy, virus-free baby.

HUONG NGA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/du-phong-lay-truyen-hiv-tu-me-sang-con-dieu-tri-dung-cach-con-sinh-khoe-manh-523410.html