HIV is a virus believed to spread from animals (monkeys) to humans during the process of either hunting or consumption. The virus is known to weaken the cells that help the body fight infection, making them vulnerable to other diseases. The virus is transmitted during unprotected sex or through sharing injection drug equipment. In India, the first case of HIV was detected in 1986 in Chennai, and today an estimate of 5.134 million people are infected. That makes India the second-largest living population with the infection. If we look at the gender perspective of the virus, then women are more exposed to the virus than men. This is concerning, especially for a country like India, because the possibility of transmission by women is higher than men. If a pregnant woman is HIV positive, then she is more likely to infect her baby. There are many ways HIV can be transmitted from the mother to the child:
These are two prominent reasons for the transmission of HIV from mother to child. An HIV positive mother can prevent the transmission by taking the following precautions:
Taking antiretroviral treatment to protect your baby:
An Antiretroviral treatment is an HIV therapy to treat HIV. Taking treatment can reduce the risk of your baby being born with HIV to less than 1%. Similarly, your baby will also be treated for four to six weeks after birth to help prevent an HIV infection from developing.
Protecting your baby during childbirth: The highest risk of transmission occurs during childbirth especially through vaginal delivery. Taking proper treatment will reduce the virus load in your body which will benefit the mother while delivering the baby.
HIV and breastfeeding:
Breast milk contains HIV which makes the rate of transmission higher. If the mother and baby both are undergoing antiretroviral treatment, then the mother can breastfeed her child. The other option is to use formula and clean, boiled water to feed the child HIV-positive mothers should also take special care of their diet. Their diet should contain more calories, protein, and micronutrients, especially folic acid and iron.One could also include the following in the diet to ease HIV and its effects.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables:
Fill half a plate at every meal and aim for five to nine servings of produce each day. As fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients that protect your immune system.
Go for lean protein:
Your body needs to build muscles and a strong immune system. Include lean beef, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts. Consult a doctor for the right proportions and guide.
Choose whole grains:
Whole grains are packed with energy-boosting vitamin B and fiber that give energy to the body. Include whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat bread, high-end fuel.
There is plenty of other nutritious food to have in your diet during pregnancy. Consult a nutritionist for a proper diet.
HIV is a dangerous disease and taking proper measures is very important. In 2014, India lost 11.4% of the population out of total due to HIV and if we don’t take proper measures now, the percentage will keep on increasing.