What are the chances of a woman having a baby with AIDS, if she is not infected but her sexual partner is?

Trish

If tests show that a woman is HIV-negative -- that is, she does not have the virus that causes AIDS -- and she is not in the "window" period where she may be infected but not yet testing positive, then she cannot transmit HIV to her unborn child. While the average interval from infection to a positive HIV test result is 6-12 weeks, it may be several months. Obviously, if this sexual partner is the same person by whom the woman got pregnant, then she must have had unprotected intercourse at least one time, and therefore she may have been infected with HIV at the same time. She should have HIV testing at least every six months, perhaps as often as monthly, to ensure that she does not convert to an HIV-positive status.

If she does become HIV-positive, then she should begin taking AZT. AZT has been shown to decrease the chance of transmitting HIV to the baby by at least half. Without treatment, about 25 percent of HIV-positive women will give birth to babies who are also HIV-positive.

HIV can be transmitted in breast milk, and women who are HIV-positive should not breastfeed. If a woman's sexual partner is HIV-positive and she is not, then they should always practice safe sex techniques, such as the use of both male and female condoms. Anyone with HIV must avoid having any of their bodily fluids come in contact with another, noninfected person.

All pregnant women should be offered HIV testing, and all pregnant women should accept this testing voluntarily. If an HIV-positive woman becomes pregnant, she should be thoroughly counseled regarding the risks of transmission to the unborn child and of all her options regarding the pregnancy. If she plans to continue the pregnancy, then she should be offered AZT to decrease the risk of transmitting HIV to the baby. She should get early prenatal care and must be monitored closely by doctors familiar with HIV and AIDS (this sometimes requires seeing both an obstetrician and an AIDS specialist). If a woman is exposed to HIV through sexual partners or through sharing of intravenous needles, but is still HIV-negative, she should avoid all future exposure and should be tested regularly.