The nurse is counseling an HIV-positive woman who has just given birth to a baby. The nurse should advise the client to
A) anticipate the needs of her child immediately and make arrangements for placement in a setting where her child's life will be comfortable.
B) avoid breast-feeding her infant if she has access to a safe water supply to decrease the chances of vertical transmission.
C) report all of her sexual partners to the infectious disease department in order to break the chain of transmission of the disease.
D) seek professional counseling to deal with the guilt associated with the almost certain passing of the disease to her child.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Perinatal HIV exposure can occur during pregnancy, during vaginal delivery, and postpartum through breast-feeding. In places where the water supply is safe, bottle- feeding should be encouraged. In areas of the world where the risk of dying from contaminated water is high, breast-feeding is a better option. Advising the mother to place the child elsewhere is premature and judgmental. Reporting sexual partners for tracking purposes is an important activity, but is not more of a priority than keeping her baby safe. The use of zidovudine in pregnant women has drastically reduced vertical transmission.

The Nurse Is Counseling an HIV-Positive Woman Who Has Just