What will happen to Marie Ange and her daughters?
Marie Ange is 31 years old and arrived today with her 2-year-old daughter, Malabissa, and her 45-day-old daughter, Marie Angelyne.
Marie Ange doesn't know if Marie Angelyne was born early, however, she tells me how she bled during her pregnancy; her newborn daughter currently weighs 2.6 kg. Malabissa is also small for her age.
Marie Ange is sick with a high fever, low blood pressure, oral thrush and pneumonia; she tests positive for HIV.
Marie Ange initially denied knowing she was HIV positive, but later told her she did know and was taking medications over a year ago, but stopped her antiviral therapy because she did not want the "other women to find out."
I spent some time with Mare Ange, not only resuscitating her with fluids and medicine, but talking with her about the complications and risks of being HIV positive.
I encouraged her to go to the local HIV clinic to restart her antiviral medications, as well as have her two daughters tested.
I instructed her to stop breast feeding her 45-day-old (current research shows women can breast feed who are HIV+, but they and the infant need to be treated with antiviral medications - this was not the case for Marie Ange).
As I watched Marie Ange walk down the path and out of our clinic, I wondered what would happen to her and her children.
The stigma for being HIV+ in this country is high and I'm not confident that I convinced Marie Ange to be treated again for her HIV.
--Sue Behrens, APN
Posted
by Leigh
