3. Can a woman living with HIV pass the virus onto her baby? Yes A woman who has HIV can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy delivery breastfeeding There are medicines that a woman living with HIV should take during pregnancy, labor, and delivery to protect her health and greatly reduce the chance that she will pass the virus to her baby Medication is also given to the infant right afterbirth and for the first weeks of life It is very important for all women to know their HIV status before they become pregnant, or very early in their pregnancy, so that they can take full advantage of these medicines and make informed decisions A second HIV testis also recommended late in the pregnancy to identify if the woman was exposed to HIV during the pregnancy Since HIV is also found in breast milk, women living with HIV should not breastfeed their babies
