Question
I’m HIV negative and my husband’s positive. Can we have a baby?
31 May 2012. Related: All topics, Newly diagnosed, Pregnancy, Sero different couples.
I just found out last year that my husband is HIV positive.
I have done two tests and both of them came out negative. The last one was an ELISA test.
We would like to have one more child. His CD4 count taken earlier this month is 600. He is not on treatment. My CD4 count is 1400. I took it just to be sure.
How is it possible for me to remain negative?
Can we have a child?
Please help.
Answer
Firstly, I am sorry about your husband’s recent diagnosis. It is good that you are supporting him and planning to have a second baby in the future.
Many sero-different couples (where one is HIV positive and the other is not), have had and continue to have healthy HIV negative babies.
There are a number of conception options available for couples like you. These are dependant on a number of factors including whether your partner is on treatment or not and what his viral load is. For more information on these options, please follow this link to our guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health.
You may also find it helpful to follow this link to the Swiss statement which explains in more detail, conditions that need to be present, should you choose to go for the option of TUI (Timed Unprotect Intercourse) as explained in the guide above.
In response to your second question, it is possible for you to test HIV negative whilst your husband tests HIV positive. This is not uncommon and there are many couples in your situation.
The risk of catching HIV relates to many things, including your partner’s viral load (ie how infections he or she is). Not every exposure results in HIV being passed on. And you may also have just been lucky so far.
It doesn’t mean that you are protected as you could still be at risk of getting HIV later on.
This risk is dramatically reduced when the positive partner is taking ARVs and has an undetectable viral load. Viral load refers to the amount of virus in your body. Having undetectable viral load means having very little virus therefore the risk of transmission.
For more information on risks of transmission, please follow this link to our guide to HIV testing and risks of transmission. The guide also explains your situation in more detail.
Good luck with your future plans.
My husband have hiv and me I’m a negative…but my husband is undetectable…so what happen?me now did i get the virus of him?and if i pregnant?what about the baby?
Hi Judy,
If you’re husband is undetectable you aren’t at risk. This is because you can’t transmit HIV when your viral load is undetectable. For more info, please see here:
http://i-base.info/htb/32308
Hi Christybell,
Please see Q’s 1, 5 and 9 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
I honestly don’t really understand this hiv stuff.We are told that one can get contaminated using sharp objects with an infected person and the easiest way is through SEX.Now I don’t get it! How can a negative live with a positive for 1,2,3,4……years and still don’t get the virus????.Now it is said a CD4 count should be done to detect the viral load . What viral load is a negative testing if he doesn’t have the virus? Now if I may understand u test positive when your anti bodies have dropped below a certain level right ???? I need answers please
Hi Lisa
Iv read so much on my question I’m so excited but want to wait 2 more years then ill be good to go. I have a 4yr old who still wants a lot of attention.
Take care & thanks
Hi Angel,
Please see Q 6 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
And the following guide:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hi all please advise I’m hiv poss and am on triv medication and my Dr says I’m undetected my husband is negative we are ready to have another child in a year or 2 can I get pregnant the normal way or will we have to go the invetro way. Thanks
my husband when I met him was HIV pos, I am negative, we have been together for 5 years and have a healthy 4 year old boy. I am still negative and get tested often, he counts were undetectable we did not do sperm washing or any of that. but I would recommend talking to a doctor about as this is what we did before we tried for our boy
It is not clear if you are HIV positive? If you are HIV negative you cannot transmit HIV to your baby.
is it possible for someone to breastfeed after testing hiv negative from using herbs. will the baby not be at risk