Question

Is a viral load of 40 OK?

1 February 2018. Related: All topics.

I’m pregnant, and on medication. My viral load is 40, what can I do to make it lower?

Answer

Answer: Lisa Thorley

Thanks for getting in touch.

A viral load of 40 is excellent. This means that you’re undetectable, and that you can’t transmit HIV through sexual intercourse. It also means that there will be less risk to your baby.

You’re already doing the best thing possible by being on ARVs and adhering to them.

46 comments

  1. Simon Collins •

    Hi Kems, can I ask if you are already taking HIV treatment (ART)? If yes, then a viral load of 30 shows that the meds are working. Any number less than 50 means your viral load is undetectable.

  2. Kems •

    What does it mean,my viral load is 30

  3. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi John,

    It’s great to hear that your viral load is undetectable. Due to it being undetectable you can’t transmit HIV when having sex without a condom. What this means is that you can try for a baby the natural way.

  4. John •

    Hi,

    My viral load has been below 20 copies for the past four consecutive 6 months tests (i.e. 24 months). What are the chances that I can conceive with a negative woman naturally. I’m on ART and undetectable.

    Thank you in adavnce

  5. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Best,

    Your viral load is less than 50copies ml, therefore your HIV is under control. There’s no risk to your partner, please see here: https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/

  6. Best •

    My viral load result came out last month and I’m at 40 and I’ve still been on my meds since then
    I’m actually scared bcos my boyfriend doesn’t know I have hiv and we’ve had unprotected sex twice. I just wanna know if he’s safe

  7. Roy Trevelion •

    Hi Josh,

    It’s great that your Girlfriend’s viral load is undetectable at less than 50 copies/mL. Is she taking HIV treatment (ART)? If so, then it’s good news. That’s because the Partner Study showed no linked HIV transmissions after couples had sex 58,000 times without condoms. That’s if the positive partner had an undetectable viral load on ART.

    If there was a risk of transmission when the HIV positive partner was having her period, it should have shown up in this study.

    Please see more info at Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).

    And how is your Girlfriend’s treatment going? What HIV meds is she taking? And if she has access to her CD4 count, please let us know.

  8. Josh •

    I had sex unprotected with my Girlfriend on her period and she’s HIV+, While her viral load is 14, Can I be infected?

  9. Roy Trevelion •

    Hi Jessie,

    The answer is yes! If you have an undetectable viral load of less than 50 copies, you cannot transmit HIV if you don’t use condoms. So you and your wife can have a healthy baby.

    Please see more here about Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).

    And here’s info on how to become pregnant when one partner is HIV positive and the other is negative.

  10. Jessie •

    Hi my viral load is <40 there are chance to have a healthy Baby w my wife?

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