Question
I am positive, my partner is negative can we conceive naturally?
10 June 2010. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Pregnancy.
I’m a female who is HIV positive. I started taking medication in January and now my viral load is undetectable and my CD4 is 340. My husband is HIV negative. My question is can we have a baby and is it possible to conceive naturally or are there any other suggestions you may offer us? Also what are the risks of me transmitting HIV to him if we have unprotected sex to conceive naturally?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
One of the benefits of HIV treatment is that they have dramatically reduced the risk of HIV passing from the mother to the baby during pregnancy. As a results, many tens of thousands of HIV positive women now have children who are HIV negative. Information on how to do this is in the guide to HIV and pregnancy at this link.
How to conceive is also included in the guide. For this to be zero risk, you can self inseminate with your partners sperm. If you want to conceive during sex, then there will be a risk from unprotected sex, but there are ways to make this risk so low that many people are happy to conceive naturally. For example, if you are on treatment and have had an undetectable viral load for more than 6 months, this risk becomes very small. For more information on the level of risk involved please follow this link to the Swiss Statement
Many discordant couples (where one partner is positive and one partner is negative) have conceived naturally and have HIV negative partners and children. For more information regarding pregnancy in couples who have different HIV status, please follow this link
It is easier for HIV positive women to become pregnant without having to have unprotected sex if their partner is negative by using techniqes such as artificial insemination. For more information on how to do this please follow this link
When planning your pregnancy you should also consult your doctor about the best medication to be on as efavirenz (Sustiva), which is also in the combination Atripla, has shown some adverse effects if taken during the first trimester of pregnancy.
For more general information on HIV, women’s health and pregnancy please follow this link