A woman is admitted due to a suspected ectopic pregnancy. While explaining treatment the patient asks if she will be able to get pregnant again. You answer that she absolutely will get pregnant again. Is this the correct thing to say?

A. Treat opportunistic infections. Antiretroviral drugs do not directly treat opportunistic infections. They help suppress the HIV virus, which in turn strengthens the immune system, reducing the risk of opportunistic infections, but specific infections require separate antimicrobial treatment.

B. Supplement radiation and chemotherapy. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not used as a supplement to radiation or chemotherapy. While HIV-positive patients can develop certain cancers like Kaposi’s sarcoma, ART is aimed at controlling HIV rather than being a direct cancer treatment.

C. Decrease viral loads in the blood. Antiretroviral drugs work by suppressing HIV replication, thereby decreasing viral load in the bloodstream. This helps maintain immune function, reduces the risk of perinatal transmission, and improves overall health outcomes. Consistent use of ART can even lower viral loads to undetectable levels, significantly reducing transmission risk.

D. Cure acute HIV/AIDS infections. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. Antiretroviral therapy helps manage the disease by reducing viral replication and preventing progression to AIDS, but it does not eradicate the virus from the body. Lifelong adherence to ART is necessary for disease control.

A. Uterine prolapse. Uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus descends into or outside the vagina, usually postpartum due to weakened pelvic support. It does not present with sudden, severe pain or fetal heart rate abnormalities during labor.

B. Uterine rupture. A tearing sensation, sudden severe pain, fetal heart rate abnormalities, pallor, and diaphoresis are hallmark signs of uterine rupture. This is a life-threatening emergency where the uterine wall tears, often due to prior cesarean scars, excessive oxytocin use, or grand multiparity. Immediate intervention, including emergency surgery, is required to prevent maternal and fetal death.

C. Precipitous labor. Precipitous labor is rapid labor and delivery within three hours and is not associated with severe, tearing pain. While it can cause fetal distress, it does not typically involve uterine rupture symptoms.

D. Amniotic fluid embolus. An amniotic fluid embolus presents with sudden respiratory distress, hypotension, and cardiovascular collapse due to amniotic fluid entering the maternal circulation. It does not typically cause localized severe abdominal pain or fetal distress due to uterine rupture.