Question
Can an HIV positive man still have children?
24 March 2007. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Can an HIV positive man still have children? If so, what is the risk to mother and child?
Answer
Thanks for your question which is very easy to answer.
The simple answer is a definite “yes” as being on modern HIV treatment also protects your partner.
As long as viral load is undetectable, the risk of transmission becomes zero. This means that your partner will not be at risk and the baby will be negative too.
The risk of a baby having HIV is only directly related to the HIV status of the mother, not the father.
So if your partner is also HIV positive, this is how you can have an HIV negative baby.
The i-Base guide to HIV, Pregnancy and Women’s Health includes a chapter on planning pregnancies and is available online or in print.
Note: This answer was last updated in January 2018 from an original post from March 2007.
Hello
I am HIV positive and my partner is negative and want to have a child, how can we try that without him being infected
Hi Sweety, if you are HIV positive, your baby is a very high risk unless you use HIV treatment. Modern medicines are very safe with very few side effects and these do not affect the baby. The biggest risk f from not using treatment.
if a woman is HIV and is pregnant and she is not taking any medecine of HIV what is the risk or problem the baby will have when will be born? will it be disabled?
Hi Thabs, do you want your lady to become pregnant? If yes, then the doctor can explain about ways of becoming pregnant. If your girlfriend is taking HIV medicines and has an undetectable viral load, this will protect the baby.
Im a female negative but my lady is HIV positive, what is the process of getting a healthy baby?
Hi Simbarashe,
Please see the above post and also Q6 here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
I am HIV positive and my partner is not but still want to have baby,so can I go on to have one without transmitting hiv to her?
Hi Sandile,
Please see Q6 here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
me and my girlfriend we are positive and undetectable can we have a baby?
Hi Andy,
Babies contract HIV from their mothers. Therefore, if your partner is negative then the baby will be. However, if she’s breastfeeding, its important that if you have sex that you use a condom. This is until your viral load becomes undetectable.
You’ve said that your CD4 is 18, have you started meds? If you haven’t you need to start them as soon as possible. You should also follow the advise that is given here:
https://i-base.info/qa/4643