Can AIDS be passed down from parents to offspring?

Answer 1

If a woman is sexually active with an HIV+ man, the only way to prevent catching the virus is to use a condom. If a pregnancy has occurred, the woman will be checked for her own safety and for that of the developing baby. It can take as long as six months after the last exposure for the HIV to show up in a persons system, if this is the mothers situation, she maybe HIV+ and not have enough of the antibodies to test positive yet.

The mother should never have unprotected sex with a man known to be HIV+ while she is pregnant or breast feeding. As long as the mother continues to test negative for six months after the last exposure, she should be considered HIV negative, the baby will be born HIV negative too.

If at some point during the pregnancy the mother tests positive, she will be put on an antiviral drug regime after the 28th week of pregnancy. The baby has a very good chance of being born without having contracted the virus, as long as the mother takes her antiviral medications. The baby will be tested at birth and most likely be put on a 4 week standard regime to prevent any possibility of developing HIV.

If the mother is not infected, the father will not infect the developing baby, but safe sex is the only way to prevent the mother from developing HIV and passing it to her baby. Please see the link for excellent information on HIV and AIDS.

Answer 2

Yes, particularly if the boy's mother was HIV positive when she delivered her son. Otherwise it would be extremely unusual for a son of HIV positive parents to also be affected with the same HIV. This of course does not preclude a son from contracting HIV from a sexual partner or dirty needle, regardless of his parents' HIV status.

Answer 3

Yes.

This is how many of those suffering with AIDS acquired the syndrome.

Answer 4

if your mother had it when she was carrying you she could pass it down through blood.

Answer 5

somtimes