HIV in Women

HIV can also be transmitted from a mother to her child during childbirth or through breastfeeding. By ensuring that all pregnant women are tested for HIV throughout their pregnancy, the transmission from mother-to-child can help be prevented through the use of antiretrovirals during pregnancy, a cesarean birth. HIV medicines may cause different side effects in women than men.Women with suspected HIV (e.g., a positive initial screening test) should stop breastfeeding until HIV is ruled out. Pumping and temporarily discarding or freezing breast milk can be recommended to mothers who are suspected of having HIV but whose HIV serostatus is not yet confirmed and who want to continue to breastfeed.

• Nevirapine to a higher risk of rashes and problems with the liver for women with higher CD4 counts.
• Ritonavir may cause more nausea and vomiting in women but less diarrhea in women than in men. Ritonavir is sometimes prescribed to help other HIV medicines work better.