Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is no more a curse on motherhood, as according to experts’ combination of several medicines can reduce the risk of transmission of the disease from mother to babies.

The antiretroviral treatment (ART) during pregnancy, labour pain and delivery can protect the health of mother-to-be and her baby.Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the combination of several antiretroviral medicines used to slow the rate at which HIV makes copies of itself (multiplies) in the body.The recent studies showed that the combination of exclusive breastfeeding and the use of antiretroviral treatment can significantly reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to babies through breastfeeding.

Babies born to women with HIV receive an HIV medicine called zidovudine (brand name: Retrovir) within six to 12 hours after birth.This medicine again protects the baby from infection in case HIV virus gets transmitted from mother to child during childbirth.Dr. Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Gynaecologist & Obstetrician, Nurture IVF Centre explains “Having done successful deliveries of women with HIV, I can say that it is not really challenging and in fact, it is very much possible to deliver a healthy baby when the expectant has HIV.”

“Medical science has evolved greatly and now-a-days there are safer ways like: - C-section deliveries, medication to prevent the baby from HIV virus. The only need of the hour is to understand how important it is for a pregnant woman to know whether she is infected and to undergo test of HIV,” she added.Every pregnant woman wants her baby comes out all healthy and disease free.For this, it is always recommended that all women, who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, should encourage their partners to get their HIV tested.An HIV-positive mother can transmit HIV to baby in three ways; during the time of pregnancy, during vaginal childbirth and through breastfeeding.