Question
My partner won’t use a condom. Will my baby get HIV?
11 December 2015. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission, Pregnancy.
I’m HIV pregnant and my CD4 is 400, I’m on treatment. My partner is HIV negative and won’t use a condom. Will my baby get HIV?
Answer
Hi,
It is great to hear that you are on treatment. This will help make sure your baby is not born with HIV. It is also good for your health.
Having unprotected sex with your partner will not affect your baby in any way. Because you are on treatment your viral load either already is or soon should be undetectable. This means there is very little virus in your blood. As well as protecting your baby from HIV it also means there is close to zero risk of transmission to your partner.
You can find information about HIV and pregnancy in our guide.
Hi Omega, your baby will get the most protection by you taking ARVs. Have you started If not, has your doctor talked about when you will start. The only reason to continue using condoms is if you are worried about STIs. Congratulation on your pregnancy – please ask your doctor about your concerns too.
I am hiv positive and im 4weeks pregnant can I continue sleeping with my partner with no condoms.I want my baby to be HIV negative
There is some risk to your baby during breastfeeding. And here in the UK the guidelines recommend bottle feeding.
But the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that if you don’t have access to formula, clean bottles and sterilising equipment, you can breastfeed your baby for 6 months. After 6 months you should wean your baby onto solid foods.
Latest research shows that if mothers are on HIV treatment, and have an undetectable viral load, the risk to your baby if dramatically reduced.
You can find out more about looking after your health and your baby’s health in this guide:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Im HIV postive and I started treatment when I was 4 months pregnant. I’m not using protection with my partner he’s not on treatment. Can my baby be infected after giving birth?
Hi Xolani
It is great that you are so supportive of your partner.
But, you do not have to show your love by putting yourself at risk. Different people respond differently to HIV. So while your partner is okay, you might have a worse response.
It is not fair to your partner to make her feel responsible for you catching HIV too.
Life will no be easier if you both become HIV positive.
Having said all this, your risk of catching HIV will become very low now that your partner is taking HIV treatment.
The risk beceoms close to zero after your partner have been on treatment for about six months. If you can use protection for the next six months, this will mean that you stay HIV negative.
After six months, it is much safer to then decide to stop using protection. After this you can continue to plan for having a family together.
My partner in on Tribuss for about a month now. I would like to know my chances of getting the virus, as we not using protection. and we both faithful to each other.It was my decision to continue not using protection because HIV doesn’t make me love her no lesser and I want a child with her.