If you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you need to know if you have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Knowing your HIV status may save your baby’s life, since pregnant women can pass the virus to their babies. In fact, most children have AIDS because their mothers passed HIV to them during pregnancy, at the time of birth or through breastfeeding.

New research shows that if you are HIV positive, there are treatments available to reduce the chances your baby will be infected with HIV.

Unfortunately, many people do not know they have HIV because they do not show signs of being infected. You should know, however, that most women infected with HIV are between the ages of 14 and 44. You should also know that women are more likely than men to become infected with HIV through sex.

So, find out about your HIV status for you and your baby. Remember, your baby doesn’t have to get HIV.

To learn more about HIV and pregnancy, first ask a doctor. To find out about AIDS/HIV testing and counseling near you, call the Illinois Department of Public Health AIDS/HIV and STD Hotline at 1-800-243-2437, TTY (hearing impaired use only) 1-800-782-0423.