late pregnancy, waiting for PCR-DNA

[stargazerlily]

Back in October, I was tested for HIV as part of prenatal case.  The result was an indeterminate Western blot and a negative PCR-DNA.  My husband got tested and was negative.  Now, about ten days ago, the nurse practitioner re-did the test as a regular procedure and, guess what, today I found out the Western blot was indeterminate again, so now the long wait for the PCR results.  

My problem is now I am 37 weeks and showing signs of labor.  I don't want to get a c-section or have anything to do with antiviral drugs for me or my baby, and I was planning to breastfeed (my third).  The nurse practitioner didn't have much to say because she knew she had done the test late and delayed in giving me the results.  What should I do if I go into labor before the results come back?  I really don't think I have HIV, but I am afraid the hospital will push for a c-section, antivirals, and no breastfeeding.  I am 41 years old, white, married 13 years - I don't see how I could have been exposed at all, much less since I had the negative PCR test back in late fall.  Help, I don't know what to do and am really worried.

[lostone08]

what is indeterminate mean like borderline positive?

[HSci34]

Is there a particular reason why you are worried?  It really does not make sense to me, particularly with your negative PCR-DNA result and your husband's negative result. Indeterminate western blots usually are negative upon re-testing.

It's up to you what you decide. Unless there is something you aren't mentioning, I really don't see a reason to be alarmed.

[HSci34]

indeterminate does not mean borderline positive. It means neither positive, nor negative. The results do not give an answer one way or another.  Just a question, was the Western blot run after a positive antibody test? Western blots are not meant for the preliminary test...

[lostone08]

i see yea my doctor gave me a western blot to but all my tests were neg

[HSci34]

To lostone08: Did he just give you a Western blot? I hope not. He should have given you an ELISA first, and if positive, then the lab does a Western blot. Western blots aren't used to catch the first infection, they're used to confirm it after the highly sensitive antibody test.

To: stargazerlily
If only a Western blot was performed, you should do an ELISA or rapid test. This is the preliminary test that is used, not the Western blot.


Also to clarify my earlier comment, Western blots often resolve to be negative when the results are indeterminate (I can't say usually because I haven't seen data on this, but I've heard from people who do testing that often times an indeterminate comes out negative later).

[lostone08]

hey lily sorry not to burglarize your post but to answer HSci34 yea i went to an infectious disease doctor and she ordered hiv-1 hiv-2 elisa confirm with western blot thats what my lab paper said so i am assuming they did the elisa first then western blot