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.
Hi Zinaree,
Is your husband on HIV treatment (ART)? If your husband’s viral load is undetectable on ART then the risk to you is zero. And that means the same for your child too.
Starting ART can reduce your husband’s viral load to undetectable in 1 to 3 months.
What HIV meds does your husband take?
Here’s a link to the guide to HIV pregnancy and women’s health. And here’s a link to Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
Hi my husband is hiv positive and I am negetive we have children and they are negative too how save are we?
Hi Mohd,
It’s only possible to catch HIV if one of you is already HIV positive. You can also catch HIV if any of you are having sex without condoms with someone else.
If you are worried you could all have a test for HIV.
I alwys unprotect sex two lady in my life. But i takes gaps of many days to sex with both.. So can i get hiv or my both partners can catch hiv?
Dear Promise,
I’m sorry to hear your story, it sounds very tough. However, I’m not sure what your question is. Please can you make it clearer?
I’ve been hiv positive for 8 years now,i have a five year old and a 2 year old,ive only been on treatment when im pregnant but no longer on treatment…the father of my kids is negative till today…and all my recent partners still test positive,the last my cd4 was 385… that’s when I was pregnant with my daughter….I found about my status through blood donation…and i was 14…I was raped when I was young but I was never sick…and I never had sexual intercourse before that…my family is still puzzled and so I’m I…. can I get an explanation of what is happening
Hi Milky,
Please see Q6 here: http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
hi.i just wanna know how can i have a baby with a girl who is Negative while im positive?
Hi my name is Kedibone I’m hiv+ Nd I’m not on treatment Nd my boyfriend is negative Nd he wants us to have a baby
Hi Kedibone.
Please see Q6 here: http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions