Safety of treatment to prevent mother-to-baby transmission of HIV

There’s some evidence of a slightly increased risk of having a premature or low birth-weight baby if a mother takes anti-HIV drugs, particularly a protease inhibitor, during pregnancy. However, this is a controversial issue and there’s also evidence showing that protease inhibitors do not cause premature birth.

There's also evidence that babies exposed to anti-HIV drugs may have subtle genetic changes in their lungs or reversible blood disorders. It is recommended that infants who were exposed to HIV drugs receive close monitoring.

It is important to stress, however, that any possible risks from the use of drugs to prevent mother-to-child transmission are outweighed by the benefits of having an HIV-negative baby.