Emedinews Inspiration: Her struggle.....Part three

After all of my social and official duties towards Sultan were over, I went to the 'ICTC'. I conveyed to the doctor the fate of Sultan. I asked her that as I was pregnant and HIV-positive, were there any legal bindings on me to give birth to my baby or not. She told me that confidentiality was the primary object of 'ICTC' . She had told me about the HIV status of Sultan only after he had consented to it. There were no legal bindings even over him to tell his wife about his HIV status. At least we the health providers keep it confidential. She told me that it was up to me to go for a baby or not. Till date HIV-positives have full right to go for a baby or not . She told me HIV-positive mothers could transmit HIV infection to their babies during pregnancy, during labor or delivery and via breast milk. There are medicines which can reduce this risk. But even after proper prophylaxis, there were chances of mother to child transmission (MTCT). If you opt for a baby to be delivered you have to take extra calories in your diet throughout your pregnancy. During childbirth also, it was not mandatory that HIV-positive mothers should disclose their status to the doctor but such disclosures might save the life of mother and child or might be good to stop MTCT. If HIV mothers gave birth to a child there are up to 20 % chances of MTCT and up to 20 %. A HIV-negative baby born to HIV-positive mother might get it through breastfeeding. Drugs given to the mother during pregnancy and to the baby just after birth can reduce this up to almost 2 % chances. If HIV-positive mother does not opt for breastfeeding, she has to opt for AFASS criteria for feeding the baby. The AFASS criteria was to protect child from getting opportunistic infections as these infections might kill more newborn babies than the number of babies getting HIV infections through breast milk. If HIV-positive mothers opt for breast feeding it has to be total breastfeeding, no milk substitute are allowed for six months then abrupt stopping of breastfeeding is recommended. The HIV-positive mothers during pregnancy and HIV-positive new born should receive the same vaccines as if they were HIV negative.

I thanked the doctor for the information given and visited my mother’s home. She still did not know about my HIV status or my pregnancy. She formally condoled Sultan’s death and insisted that I should remarry now. Then I told her that I was HIV-positive and pregnant too. She was shocked and started weeping. I was the main cause of her sorrows. I never gave ears to her advice. I could not stay there very long. I returned home.

Then was the time when I had to take firm decisions. But every decision of me regarding my life had been a catastrophe for me. Sultan and each person known to me opposed my decision to be pregnant. But I went for pregnancy. HIV virus showed me no courtesy. It infected me and was in my blood for ever. Should I go for abortion? But why? I could adopt a child when I was HIV-negative. I insisted on having Sultan’s child regardless of me acquiring the infection. What was the difference in the situation now? What I wanted was inside me. But this virus would not spare my baby. How would my baby after birth withstand the disease and the stigmas associated with it? Then once again I collected all my courage and made a final decision that I would struggle against this cruel virus. I would give birth to my child .The last remains of Sultan had every right to flourish. I would take every necessary medicine available on the earth. My baby would see the world. Let me prove that this virus could not be bigger than human efforts. I would give birth to my baby and would also breast feed him. And only this child would tell the world that the love story of his parents was not an inch lesser than the story of Laila-Majnu.

I took every precaution and medication during the pregnancy which the doctors advised me. I had disclosed my status to the Obstetrician. Maa visited often but she was not happy with me at all. My diet was increased. I was getting 600 extra calories per day.

I gave birth to a son. Doctor gave my son a prophylactic dose of syrup Nevirapine. I fed him colostrum. I was anxious to know the HIV status of my son. But the doctor told me that it was not possible as baby had mother's antibodies against HIV. Doctors had also counseled me about the health of my breasts and oral hygiene of baby's oral cavity. They also counseled me about AFASS criteria if I did not feed my baby.

The baby grew. He was healthier than the other babies of his age. After six months I stopped breastfeeding abruptly as advised by doctors.

At the age of about one year, my son underwent HIV test. He was HIV-negative. That day I could not prevent my tears to flow out of my eyes . After all I had defeated that dreaded virus. This was a victory of human efforts over HIV.

Today my son is five years old and I am not taking antiretroviral treatment as my CD4 count is over five hundred. Doctors of ICTC say that I can live upto 15more years and I have taken another oath that if I will be alive up to the marriage of my son I will marry him with an HIV-positive girl. Of course, only if she got it accidentally, as Sultan got it. Till than I have to remain alive whatsoever may be the circumstances. I will struggle to see that happen. Thus her struggle starts........

(Contributed by Dr Anil Kumar Jain)