HIV-positive Mothers and Their Babies
A baby with HIV, born in rural Mississippi, has been cured, according to a story by Andrew Pollack and Donald G. McNeil published in The New York Times on March 4. This is the second well-documented case of a cure.
The baby received antiretroviral drugs starting around 30 hours after birth. The child is now 2 1/2 and has been off drugs for a year. As reported in the story, experts believe that if you treat before the virus has an opportunity to establish a hidden reservoir there is a better chance of a cure. (Babies are more receptive to this treatment than adults.)
In the years to come babies born with HIV may face the promise of a cure. The recent finding could not come at a more opportune moment: The United Nations estimated that in 2011 (the last year for which there is data) there were 330,000 babies who were newly infected.
Not all babies born to HIV-positive mothers give birth to babies with HIV. Mothers can be treated during pregnancy and their babies given prophylactic treatment. However, women in developing countries are often unaware of the possibility. In her documentary, “The Power of Awareness: Ntutu’s Journey with HIV,” Pulitzer Center student fellow Samantha Thornton tells the story of a courageous and determined South African – an HIV positive mother who gave birth to a healthy child. Read more about Ntutu here.
Image by Samantha Thornton. South Africa, 2012.
