Vivian’s pregnancy was filled with questions and fears. But with medical guidance and antiretroviral treatment, she gave birth to a healthy, HIV-negative child. Today, she’s a mother, a mentor, and a beauty queen in Uganda. Learn how Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) works—and why it matters.
00:00There is a virus that is often spoken about with fear, stigma and shame.
00:10I'm talking about HIV.
00:12Despite advancements in science and available treatment options,
00:16for many women, especially those who are hoping to become mothers,
00:20the diagnosis can feel like a death sentence.
00:23Yet, in reality, it is not.
00:25Today, I'm in Kampala, Uganda, to meet Alice,
00:31who once feared motherhood because of her HIV status.
00:34From the things that we hear about people living with the virus,
00:38it's like they have no life.
00:48Hi, Vivian. It's a pleasure to have you on our show.
00:52Let's get right into it because I want to hear more of your story.
00:55How did you learn that you are living with HIV?
00:58How did you process that news?
01:00Firstly, it was not easy to take in.
01:04It was very shocking because I think I froze in a death moment for some time.
01:11It was very, I should say, maybe life-changing because actually I thought,
01:17there are so many things that I had heard previously about people that are living with HIV,
01:22inclusive of the fact that they cannot have babies.
01:25So, I thought, now, how am I going to have babies with this status?
01:32How am I going to live life?
01:33I had just started my university.
01:36I thought, now, why go to school?
01:39So, it was so many things in there that were not really nice.
01:44Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. As you were now getting this very shocking news,
01:48is there anything that helped you navigate?
01:50Behind closed doors, I was always crying.
01:52I think I cried for two straight weeks with a very thankful heart.
01:56I appreciate my mum so much because she was not like other parents that I've had.
02:02So, just to help me get through it, she told me,
02:05I don't even have to think about it like life was normal.
02:09I would still live. I just had to start my medication.
02:12And she promised to take me to the hospital the next day.
02:15A year on my medication, I met someone.
02:19So, when we went to do a test, he was found negative and I was positive.
02:24So, this guy just said, if we've been together for four months and I'm not infected,
02:31then maybe there is a way we could live.
02:35Some facts about HIV suppression are,
02:38antiretroviral treatment prevents HIV from making copies of itself.
02:43Once treatment is started, the virus becomes undetectable in six months or less.
02:48Research supports the people with HIV to involve their partners in their treatment.
02:55If treatment is discontinued for any reason,
02:58the virus begins to multiply and can be detected in the blood again.
03:03Tell us about the journey of being on medication and being pregnant.
03:08Was there any additional treatment that was added?
03:11They actually advise us to seek a doctor's advice on every step of the way.
03:18While you're planning to get pregnant, you go and ask the doctor.
03:22So they check, see if your viral load is okay to have the baby without the baby being infected from within the stomach.
03:32When the baby is about to be delivered on the last appointment, they gave me the Nivera pin syrup for the baby to be given so the baby is not infected while breastfeeding.
03:45So you received quite an honorable title.
03:48Maybe you can share with us what that was all about?
03:51After a good experience of working with young people at the hospital, there was this opportunity to contest as Miss Y+.
04:00It's a beauty pageant for people living with HIV.
04:04It's an empowering campaign to give us energies as young people living with HIV to live better lives and also to stand against stigma and discrimination within the society.
04:19So let's take a question from the DW Africa Facebook community.
04:24Joyce Sungani from Blantia Malawi asks,
04:27How is it possible for HIV positive mom not to transmit HIV to her baby through breastfeeding?
04:34Well, this is very possible through a combination of antiretrovirals as well as safe breastfeeding practices.
04:41I must emphasize that U equals U, meaning undetectable means untransmittable.
04:48Thank you so much Vivian for sharing your inspiring story with us.
04:53I want you to know that HIV is not a death sentence.
04:58With early treatment and with proper treatment, you can live a full life and even have a family with HIV negative children just like Vivian.
05:09Are you or someone you know living with HIV?
05:13Please share your story in the comments below.
05:16Please do you love?
05:20Bye-bye.
05:23Thank you so much各 fry of 20.
05:24Look everybody!
05:26I like the beauty of any人 of growing up in China!
05:28Have you seen other hated 1990s yet?
05:30I beğen Excellent!
05:32Do you mind and may be even a few people?
05:35What's your favorite nightmare?
05:37Is your greatest yetbeeimage?
05:38Meanwhile, my moderating abilities are so painful through biology.
05:40What needs to explore?
05:41Final дум of your future security and impact?
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