What tuberculosis means for maternal health

Mrs. Kumar [not her real name] was diagnosed with TB 18 years ago, during her first pregnancy, which ended in miscarriage. She then became depressed and side effects from the TB medications caused her difficulty eating. Three years later, during her second pregnancy, she and her husband were diagnosed with HIV. He died earlier this year, shortly after Mrs. Kumar was diagnosed with TB for the second time. Although she has now completed her second course of treatment, the illness forced her to leave her job. She relies on her mother-in-law’s pension to support her and her children. She does not tell anyone in her family or her community about her HIV and TB, because she is afraid her mother-in-law will no longer support them and that her children will face discrimination.