Question
I am a HIV positive man – can I ever have a child?
17 February 2011. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Might be a stupid question, but just asking. I am a HIV positive male. Will I ever be able to become father to a healthy child? Will I be able to have a baby using natural conception? Is my sperm defective? :-(
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Being HIV positive should not stop you having children. It is possible to have HIV negative children and to conceive naturally without infecting the mother of this child, if she is also negative. You would have to be stable on HIV treatment with an undetectable viral load. Both partners should be without STIs and unprotected sex should happen when the woman is ovulating. This will increase the chances of the woman getting pregnant without becoming positive herself.
Many discordant couples (where one person is positive and the other negative) are managing to conceive naturally and have negative children whilst not infecting each other. For more information on how to do this please follow this link
You may also find it useful to read the Swiss Statement . This describes the transmission risk for someone on stable HIV treatment as “negligible” and “similar to risks of daily life”. It is impossible to put a percentage risk on this.
When you decide you are ready for a child you should contact your doctor and speak to them about it.
My hubby is positive and I’m so worried coz I want kids
Hi Michael
Finding out you are HIV positive is difficult. It will take time to come to terms with this.
So long are you are careful to use condoms with your girlfriend, there is no reason why she will be at risk.
Most HIV positive people no lead long and active lives, including having children and a family.
If you use HIV meds to reduce viral load to undetectable, the risk to your partner is so low that many guidelines recommend you can conceive naturally if this is something you both want to do.
I am 26years old boy from nigeria.i am hiv positive and my girlfriend is hiv negative how can i continue with this relationship
Hi Jake,
i-Base are a UK-based organisation and we are not experts in adoption. According to a quick online search being gay shouldn’t stop you adopting in Missouri, and so long as you are generally healthy being HIV postive shouldn’t either. For more information contact the Missouri department of social services. For information about HIV and LGBT support in your area you could try contacting GMHC for more information.
I am a 30 something gay hiv positive man who is wanting to adopt a child in the state of Missouri, is this possible?
Hi Goodboy,
Please see our pregnancy guide for information about this and let me know if you have any questions after reading this.
I.M a 38 and HIV + and on ARV’s since from 2008 is it possible for me to have a healthy baby without infecting my wife?
Hi Joseph, please see our pregnancy guide for information about this. If you have questions after reading that please let me know and I will try to he;p.
I am HIV positive and my partner is negative, i was tested +ve in 2011 and I’m on ARVs i still want to have a child i want to do it naturally ,is it safe to my partner and the baby ?
Hiya, Im 49 now but we had a child in 2002 so he was conceived in 2001 sometime. I was already HIV positive and unfortunately did not know I was positive. He was born is good health and HIV negative and is now 10 years old so I would say your chances are as good as anyone else to have a healthy kid.