Women of all sexualities, cultural backgrounds and ages are living with HIV. Many of these women are leading healthy and full lives. Some of these women have chosen to have a family while others have made different choices about how they wish to live their lives. As an HIV positive woman, you have many rights. You have the right to have children, you have the right to love and be loved, the right to have a full and healthy sex life, the right to take control of your own health and make decisions around treatments.

There is limited scientific research on how HIV affects women, However there is no convincing evidence that HIV has more impact on women than it does on men, Despite this, HIV positive women may face many unique issues, Women are generally the primary care givers, which might mean you have to juggle your family’s needs with your own needs, It can help to talk to other positive women about their experiences, Contact your local AIDS Council or PLWHA organisation to talk to other women about issues you might be facing – either now or in the future,

Women and treatments

There is not a lot of research on the effects of HIV treatments on women, however this is changing. Many HIV positive women have benefited from treatments. Medical opinion varies on the effects of HIV treatment on women. Some doctors say the standard doses, which are calculated on body weight, may be too high for women, leading to greater side effects. However, this has not been proven and it is recommended that you discuss your treatment options or any concerns you might have with your doctor.

Research has shown that two out of three women will experience side effects from HIV medication including tiredness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain, headaches, changes in menstrual patterns, skin rashes and changes in body shape. Some side effects often disappear in the first few months, while others persevere. If you have children, you might find it useful to organise extra help particularly if and when you start treatments. If you do decide to begin treatments, it’s important to tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking, including the contraceptive pill, as some HIV medications make the pill less effective as a contraceptive.

See also:

• Treat Yourself Right – a resource for HIV positive women.

Having children

HIV positive women have the right to have a family. In fact, many HIV positive women in Australia have chosen to have children. Due to the advances in HIV treatments and our knowledge of HIV, there are many strategies that can be used to minimise the risk of passing HIV on from mother to child.

The risk of passing HIV from mother to child is very Iow (under three per cent) if your viral load is Iow or undetectable, your CD4 count is high and you use treatments during pregnancy and delivery to reduce viral load. Other ways of reducing the risk of transmission from mother to child includes having a Caesarean birth, choosing not to breastfeed and accessing good obstetric care. See also Making Babies on this website.