Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

Nutritional Support for HIV Positive Pregnant Women

and Breastfeeding Mothers

In this activity, you will:

 Look at the nutritional needs of HIV positive pregnant women and breastfeeding

mothers

Facilitator’s notes:

Expectant women and breastfeeding mothers who are HIV positive have special nutritional
requirements. Nutritional care for pregnant women is especially important so that:
 their bodies are strong enough to cope with delivering a baby (this also determines the risk of
MTCT).
 their children survive and develop adequately.

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers who are infected with HIV are at a higher risk of malnutrition and
mortality. Due to the extra demands for energy and nutrients exerted by pregnancy, breastfeeding and
HIV, they require additional food and energy intake. Unfortunately, many women become pregnant
when they are already malnourished. They are often malnourished prior to HIV infection as well.
If a woman is HIV positive, then the effects of malnutrition and HIV increase her vulnerability to
further health dangers associated with pregnancy and childbirth.

As a home visitor, you can help pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers (some who may be OVC
themselves), by encouraging them to test for HIV infection. You cannot force anyone to take a test;
but knowing their status will allow them to take actions that will help them and their children to stay
healthy for as long as possible. If mothers or pregnant women are diagnosed as being HIV positive,
you can also encourage them to:
 Seek early antenatal and postnatal care and to use PMTCT services
 Have their general health checked (weight, blood); infections treated (for example, STIs, malaria);
have regular deworming
 Monitor their nutritional status
 Practise reproductive health and safe sex.

For this activity you will need:

 Flipchart and markers

Facilitator’s notes:

1 Get participants to brainstorm reasons why it is important that pregnant women and breastfeeding
mothers need adequate nutrients in their diet. Write up their input and discuss this further using
your facilitator’s notes.

2 Then get the group to consider the additional requirements these women need if they are also
HIV positive. For more information on this subject, you can consult Appendix 2.

Activity 4

20 minutes

Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Unit 2, Module 3^231