Symptoms of HIV in women are generally not much different from symptoms of HIV in men. However, there are some symptoms of HIV that are only found in female patients, such as menstrual disorders and vaginal discharge or sores in the intimate organs that often recur and are difficult to heal.
In Indonesia, about 250,000 women of reproductive age are infected with HIV. There are several factors that can increase a woman's risk of becoming infected with HIV, including unprotected sex and having more than one sexual partner.
If not treated immediately, HIV in women can be fatal because it can be transmitted to sexual partners, fetuses in the womb, and babies who are breastfed. Therefore, it is important to understand what the symptoms of HIV in women are so that this disease can be detected early and treated immediately.
Symptoms of HIV in Women
Symptoms of HIV in every woman are not always the same, depending on the condition of the body and the stage of infection.
Symptoms and signs of early-stage HIV usually appear 1-2 months after infection. However, it could also be faster, which is 2 weeks. At this stage, women infected with HIV may not realize that they are infected because the initial symptoms that appear are similar to flu symptoms.
This initial stage is known as window period. If a woman is still in her period window period, then the results of the HIV test carried out are most likely negative, even though the HIV virus is already in the blood and can be transmitted.
Symptoms of HIV in women will usually only appear when HIV infection enters an advanced stage. Usually these symptoms can appear within 8-10 years after the virus enters the body.
The following are symptoms of HIV in women that should not be ignored:
1. Vaginal infectionrepeated
There are various types of vaginal infections, namely vaginal candidiasis (fungal infection of the vagina) and bacterial vaginosis (bacterial infection of the vagina). In addition, vaginal infections can also be caused by viruses and parasites.
Vaginal infections can be experienced by every woman, including women who do not have HIV. However, vaginal infections usually recur more frequently and are difficult to treat in HIV-infected women. Frequent recurrence of vaginal infections is a sign that the immune system is starting to weaken.
Vaginal infections can cause the following symptoms:
- Vaginal discharge with a thick white texture
- Vaginal itching and rash
- Painful sensation in the vaginal area
- Pain when urinating and having sex.
2. Pain in the pelvis or lower abdomen
Pain that often appears in the lower abdomen or in the pelvis can be a symptom of pelvic inflammation due to an infection in the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes. As with vaginal yeast infections, pelvic inflammatory complaints in women with HIV are usually more difficult to treat and recur more often.
In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, other symptoms of pelvic inflammation that need to be considered are vaginal discharge that smells bad, menstrual disturbances, fever, and pain when having sex or urinating.
3. Menstrual disorders
Several studies have shown that menstrual disorders are more common in HIV-infected women, especially when HIV infection has entered an advanced stage.
Menstrual disorders that occur can be in the form of irregular menstrual cycles, more or less menstrual blood, and the emergence of PMS complaints that are heavier than before.
However, menstrual disorders are also common in women who are not infected with HIV. Menstrual disorders should be suspected when they appear along with some other symptoms of HIV.
4. Frequent illness or infection
The HIV virus that attacks the immune system can make sufferers often sick or susceptible to infection. When infected, people with HIV may experience the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough that is difficult to heal or often recurs
- Sore throat
- Weak
- Sweating at night
- Chronic diarrhea
- Hard to breathe
- Muscle ache
- Thrush on the tongue, mouth, or vagina
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Rashes on the skin
- Weight loss for no apparent reason
The appearance of the above symptoms, especially if they last long enough or recur frequently, may indicate that HIV infection has progressed to AIDS.
When the immune system weakens, several other infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), toxoplasmosis, and meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain), will be very susceptible to occur. In addition, people living with HIV, both men and women, will also be susceptible to cancer, such as lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Some of the symptoms of HIV in women are not typical and often the initial symptoms resemble those of the common cold, so many women do not realize that their bodies have been infected with HIV.
Therefore, women are recommended to undergo a medical examination and an HIV test to a doctor if they are at high risk of HIV infection, for example having free sex without a condom, using injecting drugs with needles that are shared with others, or undergoing frequent blood transfusions.
You don't need to be afraid or embarrassed to consult a doctor if you feel you are at risk or have been infected with HIV. Currently, there is a special program for HIV counseling and treatment known as VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing).
VCT is carried out by a team of doctors, counselors, and other medical experts who will help you to get comprehensive information and treatment about HIV. Confidentiality in HIV counseling and treatment is one of the main goals of the VCT program.
Until now, there is no treatment that can cure HIV/AIDS. However, with lifelong antiretroviral treatment, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) can still lead normal lives.
That is why, it is important to undergo a medical examination to the doctor in order to detect HIV early and get HIV treatment as early as possible. Thus, the risk of AIDS and other dangerous complications due to HIV infection can be reduced.