7 News Belize

Woman With HIV Says Doctors Discriminated
posted (December 11, 2012)
And while they are many organizations which advocate for those living with HIV and AIDS, those living with the disease are still frequently subjected to stigma and discrimination.

Today with met Adi Mai - who is HIV positive and was first diagnosed in 2009.

In February of this year, Mai found out she was pregnant and fearing that her baby would be born HIV positive - she requested a C-Section.

But the surgery was refused - instead she was told that C-Sections are only done in Belize on high risk pregnancy patients. Mai felt that her particular medical needs as a pregnant HIV positive person were not taken into account. She did manage to get her surgery done in El Salvador. Here's her story.

Adi Mai - HIV positive
"First of all it was this year on February they gave me the news that I was pregnant - I wasn't expecting it but well it came and during the 4 months it was difficult for me because I was vomiting, I couldn't eat and drinking my medications as a HIV person was difficult and I was afraid that probably the baby won't take the medication that I was drinking. During that course since I began working with this organization REDCA from El Salvador and see it here in Belize I learn a lot about mother to child transmission even though I was drinking my medication I was afraid and so I began asking for a C-section to be done both on the part that I was afraid for my baby to come out positive and the other one was the overall issue that HIV mothers should not have babies. I ask for that and they say that I had to have difficulties in order for the C-section to be done o me. This organization REDCA offered me the C-section in El Salvador and I thought it was a great opportunity to prevent any transmission to my baby, so I accepted it and I had my baby in El Salvador."

"Here in Belize I went to my nurse and ask for a C-section, I went to the gynecologist and they told me they would perform the C-section only if I had any complications - that's was the only reason the C-section would have been done to me and even the doctor told me that that would be the reason if I had a C-section. I tried and I struggle for it and thank God and the organization I was offered there. Having it in El Salvador was a nice experience overall and it had it contrary like I said because being alone there giving birth and a C-section it was difficult for me, but C-Net gave me that support by sending me my companion, he went there to help me during the process and everything went fine. I was glad and happy when in El Salvador they gave me their viral load results for the baby that came out undetectable. That made me very happy and they even did a viral load to me, something that I haven't done here in Belize at all. Basically that was the experience I had through just this year. I am just getting over it. Right now my baby is 3 months. When I came back to Belize they did tests to him also - they have done 3 test; one test has come out negative but I have in mind that everything was find because they did all the tests in El Salvador."

"I don't know if I was discriminated or what but the fact that they didn't gave me the C-section that I ask for - I think that we as persons living with HIV being females and wanted to be mothers - I think they supposed to give us the C-section to prevent any chances at all because the risk that I have was that for 4 months I was bedridden, I couldn't eat, I was vomiting and I even had diarrhea and that made me think that probably the baby didn't get the medication that I was drinking."

Mai delivered a healthy baby - who is now 3 months old and HIV negative.

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