Prevention of HIV and AIDS in newborn babies ATOS 9.97

Prevention of HIV and AIDS in newborn babies

By Rusty Perez

Most people are aware of the dangers of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV and AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. When it was newly discovered, HIV/AIDS was a death sentence to any one who contracted it. Now, it is not unusual for someone infected with HIV to live many years in relative health, but they are still infectious because there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. It may be surprising then that a child born to a mother with AIDS can be uninfected.

We must first understand a bit about HIV/AIDS and how it is transmitted. According to Wikipedia, AIDS is a disease which causes deficiencies in our immune system. One important component in this system are CD4+ T cells. These are a specific kind of white blood cell important in our immune response. These are the cells which detect unwanted viruses and bacteria and trigger the body's immunity. When the HIV virus attacks, it reduces the number of CD4+ T cells therefore making it difficult for an infected person to fight off other diseases.

A person is diagnosed with AIDS when their CD4+ T cell count is below 200. When a person is infected, it may take several weeks for the virus to reach detectable levels and create symptoms. After detection, a person can live many years on anti retroviral medications if they can keep the viral load low enough. Nonetheless, a person is still infectious. The AIDS virus is transmitted through an exchange of most body fluids including blood and, importantly to mothers, breast milk. As a point of information, HIV/AIDS cannot be transmitted through saliva, tears, or sweat. Since blood and breast milk are included in those fluids which carry the AIDS virus, it is even more surprising that a child can be born uninfected.

According to the National Institutes of Health, when it is known that a mother carries the AIDS virus, she is prescribed AIDS medications called anti retroviral medications. These medications work to lower the viral load in the mother. This means that the amount of virus in the mother is lower so it is less likely that the virus will be transmitted across the placenta. Additionally, some of the medication passes across the placenta which protects the unborn baby.

Since there is a likelihood of bleeding during a natural or vaginal child birth, doctors often choose to perform a cesarean section, birthing the baby through surgery to deliver the baby instead of opting for a natural birth. This can allow doctors to control contact with blood.

After the child is born, instead of breastfeeding her child, since breast milk is one of the body fluids which contains the AIDS virus, an AIDS infected mother gives her child baby formula. The formula provides a nutritious food supply while keeping the baby free of AIDS. In addition, the baby is given AIDS medications for the first six weeks of life to protect him or her from the virus. Mothers are also cautioned not to pre-chew foods for the baby. It has been discovered that transmission can occur if any blood from the infected persons mouth gets in to the food.

If all of these procedures are followed, a mother infected with the AIDS virus can have a healthy uninfected child. Anti retroviral medications lower the chance of transmission during pregnancy across the placenta. A cesarean birth can protect the child from blood contact during the birth. And feeding a baby formula instead of mother's breast milk or pre-chewed food can prevent transmission after the birth. Therefore, though it may seem unbelievable, a mother who carries the AIDS virus can give birth to an uninfected child.