The health professional who organised your blood tests will give you your results.

What happens if the result is positive?

If the HIV test is positive, professional advice, help and support will be given to help you look after your health, and that of your baby, your partner and your family or whānau.

If you are found to have HIV, you will be referred to a maternity hospital for specialist consultant care.  In some cases your lead maternity carer will continue some of your care alongside the specialist at the hospital.  Ask your doctor and midwife what the choices are in your area.

Can the results be wrong?

Sometimes results from an HIV test may not be clear – it is not clear whether or not the result is positive or negative. When the first test is not clear, a second blood test will be required to make sure that you do not have HIV.  Itcan take up to two weeks for those results to come back to you.  

Waiting for the result of the second test can be frightening and stressful. You will be supported by your Lead Maternity Carer, and other health professionals if required.  Most people who need to have a second test will not have HIV so these results are usually negative.

There is a small possibility that an HIV test may be negative, even though it is later found that you have HIV. This is usually because you have been very recently infected with HIV, and the infection has not yet shown up in a blood test.  If you think you are at risk of HIV at any time in your pregnancy you can ask for another test.