Question
Can we conceive naturally – my doctor says “no”?
14 October 2016. Related: Access to treatment, All topics, HIV transmission, Pregnancy, Sero different couples.
I am on meds and undetectable for more than a year. My partner is negative. My cd4 count is 600. I ask my doctor if lf l can have unprotected sex to get pregnant. My doctor said its not advisable. I have being following i base messages and from your point of advise its save for me to have unprotected sex. So am confused. You and my doctor who advise to follow.
Answer
Hi
Thanks for you question.
The answer to your main question is that it is very safe for you and your partner to conceive a baby naturally.
If HIV your doctors only concern, then it is unfortunate that you are not getting a more supportive response. Actually, this is likely the way most babies are conceived – whether planned or not.
Guidelines now recognise that someone with an undetectable viral load who is taking HIV treatment (ART) has very little chance of passing on HIV. In the PARTNER study, around 900 couple had se without condoms more than 58,000 times and no linked transmissions occurred.
Given how important having a family is to many people, your doctor is actually wrong for being out of date with current information.
i-Base can’t advise you what to do, we just provide information on the latest research and guidelines. These are choices that you and your partner have to make together. Similarly I cannot comment on you doctors views other than to say they are no longer supported by evidence or guidelines. It might be good to get a second opinion form a doctor that is more supportive.
Please see these two links.
Q&A on the PARTNER study:
https://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study
How to conceive when one partner is positive:
https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy/what-to-do-when-one-partner-is-hiv-positive-and-the-other-is-hiv-negative