Dear Chipo

Well done for being brave enough to have an HIV test. Now you can do many things to care for yourself and the baby you are carrying. Most babies born to HIV positive mothers will not get HIV. Only three out of every ten babies get the virus. This happens while the baby is in the womb, during childbirth or through breastfeeding. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to lower the risk.

Firstly, clinics and hospitals in Zimbabwe offer a drug called Nevirapine free to HIV positive pregnant women. This drug makes it harder for HIV to infect the baby during childbirth and protects the baby in the first three days. Ask the clinic about their Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) programme.

Also, either feed your baby on milk formula or find out everything about how to breastfeed safely by feeding your baby on breastmilk only (absolutely nothing else, not even water) for the first six months. Then at six months, you must stop breastfeeding completely and start the baby on other foods.

Also help your baby by looking after yourself as well as you can – ask at the clinic for advice. The clinic will also be able to tell you when your baby should be tested for HIV and how best to keep her healthy.

Good luck with motherhood!

Auntie Stella