Question
Can i be with someone who is HIV negative?
18 March 2016. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission, PrEP, Sero different couples.
My CD4 count is 750 and my viral load is undetectable. Can i marry a woman who does not have HIV? If she married me , is it possible she could also ARVs everyday to stay HIV negative?
Answer
Because you have an undetectable viral load the risk of you passing on HIV to a partner is extremely low – close to zero.
We know this because of a study called PARTNER. It looked at the risk of transmission of unprotected sex between a undetectable positive person and a HIV negative person. This was unprotected sex. Couples on the study had sex over 44,500 times and no one became positive.
If you are still worried sometimes HIV negative people take a HIV pill to prevent themselves getting HIV. This is called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP. It is important to do this properly though.
You can find more information about PrEP on our website.
Most doctors – and treatment gudielines – do NOT recommend using PrEP when viral load is undetectable in the positive partner. Technically the small risk from using PrEP make it better not to use it. The studies are run to define these risks and to infoam the best policies for your health. It is difficult to believe that PrEP might not also be of benefit – but really it is not needed in this case.
I would recommend using a condom and consider PrEP when you are planning to have babies. The PrEP treatment may be expensive. No matter what the studies say you wouldn’t like to put your partner at risk.