Question
What is the risk of conceiving naturally?
15 September 2014. Related: CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission, Pregnancy.
Hi Doctor,
Please help as me and my fiance are planning to have a child but the problem my fiance is positive and I am negative. He is taking his ARVs and his CD4 count is increasing.
He said he spoke to one of the nurses in clinic and he was told that he can do unprocteted sex as he is CD4 count is increasing. I am really scared. What if me and the child that we planning gets an infection.
Pls help as we really desparate for a child.
Answer
| HiThanks for your question but before answering, we are not doctors. This information is also to be used when you see your doctor or other health worker.
The nurse at the clinic is giving you good advice. Most couples where one partner is positive and the other is negative chose to conceive naturally. Please see the answer to the original question for more details: However, before doing this, it is better to know whether your partner has an undetectable viral load. This is more important than his CD4 count. The recent PARTNER study reported that there were no HIV transmission after 44,500 times when couples had sex without a condom, because the positive partner had an undetectable viral load. Here is a less technical report about Treatment as Prevention (TasP): For many couples, the positive benefits of having a baby outweigh the tiny risk of transmission. Once you are pregnant you can then go back to using condoms. Even with this information, you personally have to decide whether this is right for you. This might be it takes a while to get used to the idea. Perhaps talking to other people in a similar situation might help. |
Hi,
Your HIV medication should not affect your chances of getting pregnant. It does not work as a contraceptive. Once you become pregnant staying on your meds will help prevent your baby becoming positive as well as keeping you healthy.
You can find lots of information about HIV and pregnancy here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I was wondering if you could help me, im 40 years of age women, had my ivf egg donor transfer last week. Im also HIV positive and have an undetectable viral load. At the moment im on 2 weeks waiting period on my pregnancy test, should i continue taking my HIV medication, or should i wait till a pregnancy is confirmed? I don’t want to jeopardize my chance of getting pregnant, 3 embryos has been transferred.
Hi Hanie
Your question is so important – and not connected directly to the question above – that I posted this on a new page here:
https://i-base.info/qa/10230
Hi am a woman 24 years old and hiv positive. I’m afraid to tell my boyfriend as he is negative. My viral load is undetectable and I’m using ARVs but I always hide them. What are my chances cos if I tell him he will leave me and I cant afford to loose him. I have been open on my status many times but they leave me. I am afraid I’ll die being single without someone I love. Pls don’t judge me as I already judge myself everyday.