Stop the Spread of HIV from Mothers to Babies

Grace, a 37-year-old client of Alive Medical Services (AMS), has been on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the past seven years. While she was aware that ART adherence could protect her partner from HIV transmission, she was unaware that it could also enable her to have HIV-negative children.

Grace and her partner have been in a committed relationship for nearly four years, following her successful disclosure of her HIV status. However, when they began considering starting a family, Grace became anxious and uncertain.

“I didn’t know anything about Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT). I always thought it was a miracle when I heard other women say their babies were born HIV-free,” Grace shared.

Her first child was conceived before she knew her status and was, fortunately, born HIV-negative. Lacking knowledge about EMTCT, she considered this outcome to be pure luck.

Grace’s uncertainty resurfaced when she discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Without any understanding of EMTCT, the news initially caused fear rather than joy. However, during her first antenatal care visit, Grace was immediately linked to AMS’s EMTCT clinic.

At the clinic, Grace received comprehensive, compassionate care from nurses and counsellors who reassured her that with proper adherence to ART, regular checkups, and support, she could safely deliver an HIV-negative baby.

Throughout her antenatal care, Grace benefited from:

• Nutritional guidance to support a healthy pregnancy
• Adherence counselling to reinforce the importance of consistent ART use
• Education on EMTCT, safe breastfeeding practices, and early infant diagnosis (EID)
• Emotional and psychosocial support from healthcare providers

When Grace gave birth to her daughter, Hope, the health team ensured that the baby received HIV prophylaxis and was enrolled in the EID program. Grace was also supported through safe breastfeeding practices and received consistent postnatal care.

Following all recommended testing protocols up to 18 months, baby Hope was confirmed HIV-negative.

Today, Grace is thriving — confident, informed, and empowered. She no longer sees her dream of raising a healthy family as a miracle, but as an achievable reality made possible through knowledge, medical care, and continued support from AMS.

“Now I know I don’t have to rely on miracles. I have the support and information I need to live fully and plan the future I want,” Grace says with pride.