-The virus was passed on unknowingly by her ex-partner
-They married eight months later and decided they wanted to try for a baby
-34-year-old said she tried to persuade her husband to opt for insemination
-But he wanted the couple to conceive naturally, despite the risk
-Mrs Mammadova's viral load - the amount of HIV in her blood - is very low
-It means there is a very low risk of passing the virus through sex
-She doesn't need anti-viral medication yet, but has regular check-ups
-She is pregnant with the couple's second baby - who is due in June
-Their daughter Saabria is HIV negative as is Mr Mammadova
At 20 weeks' pregnant Mrs Mammadova will start to take anti-viral medication to help reduce the chance of passing the virus to her baby
An
HIV positive mother is pregnant with her second baby since being
diagnosed with the virus, having conceived both children naturally.
Amanda Mammadova was diagnosed with HIV in 2010 - three months after first meeting her now husband, Ali.
The couple married eight months later. Desperate to start a family they considered the risks of conceiving naturally.
Knowing
Mrs Mammadova's viral load - the amount of HIV in her blood - was low,
Mr Mammadova said he was prepared to take the low risk so the couple
could realise their dream of having a baby.
Their daughter, 21-month-old Saabria, was born HIV negative and Mrs Mammadova is now pregnant with their second child.
Amanda Mammadova, who is HIV positive,
is pregnant with her second child after she and her husband Ali chose
to try and conceive naturally, having done so with their daughter
Saabria
Mrs
Mammadova 's viral load - the amount of HIV in her blood - is low,
meaning the risk of transmission during sex is low. The couple's
daughter Saabria was born HIV negative and Mr Mammadova has regular
tests
Her
husband, who has regular tests, has not contracted the virus but will
undergo another test shortly to check if he became infected while the
couple were trying for their second baby.
The
mother-of-one, from Milton Keynes, said she tried to persuade her
husband to opt for insemination, but he was adamant they would try to
conceive naturally.
Experts
from the National Aids Trust told MailOnline that modern treatments for
HIV 'significantly reduce' the risk of HIV being transmitted through
sex.
Anti-retroviral
medication is commonly taken by sufferers while they are trying for a
baby naturally, to lower the risk of transmission.
And the drugs have reduced the risk of mother-to-child transmission to less than 0.5 per cent.
Mrs
Mammadova chose to share her story to give hope to others diagnosed with
HIV, showing how it is possible to live a normal life after diagnosis.
She said: 'Ali has always supported me and is willing to get HIV in order for us to be a normal couple.
'I did try to persuade him to go down the insemination route but he wanted us to conceive naturally.
'I had always wanted a family but when I was first diagnosed I thought my chances of having a family had been destroyed.
'I was worried I'd pass on HIV to my child, as there is a small chance it can be passed on during pregnancy.
'But HIV hasn't ruined my life, I married Ali eight months after my diagnosis.
'At
first I was petrified about how people would react, I was a fitness
instructor so it could have affected my job but thankfully the people I
have around me are very supportive.
Mr Mammadova is waiting for a test to
establish if he has contracted the virus while the couple were trying
for their second child, who is due in June
When Mrs Mammadova is 20 weeks'
pregnant she will begin to take anti-retroviral drugs to reduce the risk
of transmitting the virus to her unborn baby. The drugs reduce the risk
to less than 0.5 per cent, experts say
'I
also have an older daughter from a previous relationship and I was
worried I wouldn't see her grow up, but when doctors reassured me I'd
live a happy and normal life that gave me hope for the future.'
Mrs Mammadova was devastated when she discovered an ex-partner had unknowingly passed on the deadly virus.
The 34-year-old feared her husband would call off their relationship but instead he vowed to support her.
As soon as his wife discovered she was HIV positive, Mr Mammadova, 29, was tested.
The
results revealed he had not contracted the virus, as have regular tests
since, despite the couple not using protection when trying for their
two children.
Mrs Mammadova said: 'At first I would worry every time we had sex in case the condom split and he got infected too.
'But Ali reassured me that he wasn't bothered whether he contracted HIV or not as I was his wife.
'My
viral load is quite low anyway, so it would be quite hard for someone
to catch HIV from me, compared to others living with the virus.
'Ali
and I started trying for a baby a few months before I fell pregnant and
Ali got tested for HIV afterwards, his test came back negative again.'
When
Mrs Mammadova is 20-weeks pregnant she will start taking
anti-retroviral medicines to try and reduce the risk of her baby
contracting the disease.
She said: 'I took the medicine when I was pregnant with Saabria and she has tested HIV negative.
'I'm currently about eight weeks pregnant with our second child so it's too early to start an preventative medicine yet.
'I
try not to think too much about whether my unborn baby could contract
HIV - we're confident the baby will be negative as the risk is so low.'
Yusef
Azad, director of policy and campaigns at National Aids Trust (NAT)
said: 'Modern HIV treatment reduces someone's viral load to very low
levels, making it extremely unlikely that the virus can be transmitted.
'In
the UK, the use of antiretroviral medication in pregnancy has reduced
the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to less than 0.5 per
cent.
'These
medications can also drastically reduce the risk of HIV transmission
within couples affected by HIV who want to conceive naturally.
'This is often called "treatment as prevention" and is very effective.'
Mrs
Mammadova said she tried to persuade her husband to opt for insemination
but he refused and was adamant he wanted them to conceive naturally
like a normal couple despite the low risk of transmission
A
spokeswoman for the NAT added: 'People with HIV can conceive naturally.
If they want to be extra safe they can go on anti-retroviral medication
before trying for a baby, especially if their viral load is quite
high.'
She
said a woman's risk of contracting HIV during sex is slightly higher
than a man's in general, because the surface area of the vaginal wall is
greater than that of the penis.
It means there are a greater number of mucus membranes for the virus to potentially pass across from one person to another.
I
hope my story shows people that the disease doesn't need to hold you
back. My HIV diagnosis doesn't define me, it has made me a stronger
person
While she has come to terms with her HIV diagnosis, Mrs Mammadova said she has experienced some stigma in the past.
'One
friend said she was worried about catching HIV from my cutlery, others
will tut when they find out I've become a mum,' she said.
'I'm making the most out of my life and since my diagnosis my life has actually improved.
'I want other people to understand the importance of getting themselves checked, diagnosing HIV in the early stages saves lives.
'Ali gets checked every six months to ensure he's still negative.'
Mrs
Mammadova is currently not on medication for her HIV but has check-ups
every four months to ensure her immune system is functioning properly.
She
said: 'I haven't needed antiretroviral therapy yet but I could need it
at any point in the future as it prevents HIV progressing to AIDS.'
The 34-year-old is a successful personal trainer and will often discuss her diagnosis if it comes up in conversation.
THOSE INFECTED WITH HIV IN UK AT ALL-TIME HIGH BUT TREATMENT MEANS SUFFERERS CAN EXPECT TO LIVE NORMAL LIVES
HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases.
Figures published this week revealed the number of people infected with the virus in the UK has reach an all-time high.
Nearly 110,000 are living with the condition, but around a quarter are unaware they have it.
Recent
research has found that between 70 and 90 per cent of people may
experience symptoms of infection a few days after they have been
infected.
A fever, rash and severe sore throat should always be considered a potential indicator of HIV.
The symptoms usually disappear within two to three weeks.
A person described as living with HIV means they have HIV in their body.
New figures published this week
revealed the number of people infected with HIV, pictured under the
microscope in purple and green, in the UK has reached an all-time high,
with 111,000 living with the condition, but around a quarter unaware
they have it
A
person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is
so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases, which it would
normally cope with.
There is currently no cure for HIV. But those with the virus receiving treatment can live a healthy, active life.
If the virus is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective in preventing AIDs.
Those who are diagnosed early and respond to treatment can be healthy, work, and have relationships like anyone else.
HIV treatment was transformed in 1996 with the introduction of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).
It
means a person diagnosed in time and who adheres to their medication
can, in the vast majority of cases, manage their health condition and
look forward to a near normal life expectancy.
ART can cause some side-effects including fatigue, depression and diarrhoea, though they are increasingly well-managed.
How is HIV passed on?
The virus can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.
HIV is most commonly passed on during:
- sex without a condom with someone living with HIV
- sharing infected needles, syringes and other injecting drug equipment
- from an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding - if the right steps to prevent infection are not taken
Can women living with HIV still have a baby?
HIV
can be passed from mother to child, but there are steps that can be
taken to reduce the possibility of the child contracting HIV to less
than one per cent.
They
include the mother taking anti-retroviral drugs while pregnant,
delivering the baby via Caesarean section and not breastfeeding the
baby.
Source: National Aids Trust
She
added: 'I pose no threat to my clients, I don't usually disclose my HIV
diagnosis but I don't hide my status, it's all over my Facebook so it's
quite obvious to those who look in to who I am as a trainer.
'I haven't experienced a back lash from people knowing I have HIV, it doesn't bother them at all.
'My clients have all been wonderful and extremely supportive.
'Not
everyone who 'comes out' as being HIV positive will be rejected by
society, I think it's important for those living with the disease to
know that.
'It's not a death sentence anymore.
'Some people are very narrow minded and believe you can catch HIV through sweat or even touching someone with the disease.
Mrs Mammadova believes educating people on HIV is key to helping people change the stigma attached to it.
She added: 'I hope my story shows people that the disease doesn't need to hold you back.
'My HIV diagnosis doesn't define me, it has made me a stronger person.'
