Family planning can be complicated by an exposure to HIV. HIV PEP is a regimen of medications that helps decrease the risk of acquiring HIV. Delaying attempts at conception while taking PEP may be preferred, although PEP is believed to be safe in early pregnancy.
When a couple is in the process of %family planning%, it’s important to make sure that both members of the couple are healthy.
In some cases, one member of the couple may have a known or suspected exposure to HIV while they are in the family planning process. This could occur in an occupational setting, if the person works in the healthcare field or in a laboratory. This could also occur as a result of a sexual encounter, or through the sharing of equipment for injecting drugs.
HIV can easily pass to a baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. If a woman is exposed to HIV during her pregnancy, experts recommend doing everything possible to decrease the chances of the mother acquiring a long-term HIV infection. This will also help to protect the baby from acquiring the virus. A woman who is exposed while in the process of family planning may in fact be in early pregnancy at the time.
After an exposure to HIV, postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is usually recommended. This consists of taking HIV medications, in order to help the body fight the virus. Usually, two medications are taken for four weeks, although three medications are recommended in some cases. Taking HIV PEP decreases the chances that the patient will become infected with HIV as a chronic illness.
If a woman has been exposed to HIV during early pregnancy, experts still recommend %HIV PEP% for her. There does not appear to be a greater risk of birth defects for babies born to women taking HIV medications, so taking PEP is worth it to decrease the risk of the baby having to deal with HIV for an entire lifetime. If there is any risk to baby from taking the PEP medications, it is likely very small.
However, if a couple in the process of family planning experiences an HIV exposure, then the risk-benefit calculation may be different. Some couples may prefer to delay trying to conceive while one partner is taking HIV PEP. Since HIV PEP is recommended in the case of early pregnancy, it isn’t mandatory to stop trying to conceive while taking the medications. It’s up to the couple to decide what they want to do. The ages of the partners may play a role; a couple in their late 30s may be less likely to want to wait, as they’re worried about age-related fertility decline, while a younger couple may prefer waiting.
After taking %HIV PEP in Singapore%, a follow-up HIV test is performed. A negative result allows the parents-to-be to proceed with trying to conceive without worrying about HIV. This is by far the most likely outcome. If the follow-up HIV test is positive, then the parents-to-be can decide how best to proceed while protecting the health of both partners and the baby. You will need to consult with your doctor to make some decisions in this case.
Visiting an STD clinic for HIV testing and HIV PEP in Singapore allows you to discuss all of the aspects of your situation with a knowledgeable professional who is current on the latest research.
Resources:
Zingman, Barry. “PEP for Exposed Workers Who Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding.” Medscape. Published 30 Jan 2013. Accessed 9 Jun 2016. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778035_10
Centers for Disease Control. “PEP.” Centers for Disease Control. Published 15 Apr 2016. Accessed 9 Jun 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/pep.html
Centers for Disease Control. “Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis.” Centers for Disease Control. Published 25 Sep 2013. Accessed 9 Jun 2016. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/20711