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 is name paul I m a positive .my girl friend is negative. We have been dating since 9 months ago with unprotected sex .when she tested her self last week . She found out she was hiv negative When she saw my meditation , I told her the true that I m positive that we have to go for her test . We went she hiv negative. Now she is running away from me. I m confused of life.
Hi Dorothy,
How is your boyfriend? I hope he’s well and has started HIV treatment (ART). It’s good news if he’s on ART because you can plan to make a baby now.
There’s good news for couples in this situation. This is because successful ART can stop HIV transmission, even if you don’t use condoms. This is recommended for safe conception in the UK.
At the moment it’s recommended that the HIV positive partner has a viral load below 50 copies/mL for over 6 months. And the HIV positive partner has regular viral load testing (3 to 4 monthly).
But you can speak to your boyfriend and your doctor about access to ART and his viral load results.
I just found out that my boyfriend is HIV positive,then l went check n my results came out negative, so now I am waiting for my second check up,how do we make baby if I am negative,
Hi Joseph,
If you’re on medication and your viral load is undetectable then its OK to have sex without a condom. Please see here: http://i-base.info/u-equals-u/ If your viral load is undetectable then your wife will be at risk.
I am HIV patient.. since November…which I was tested and my wife and children are negative….. since then I never sex my wife….and she is not happy over it…I pled her for me to use condom to her .but she refuse that she fill nothing with condom how do I do.? or should I sex her without condom?
Yes you can , me and my wife. me who is positive with an undetectable viral load and taking all my. Meds and her who is negative . And we are having a healthy negative baby girl in just 3 weeks.
Hi Bob,
It’s great to hear that you and your girlfriend are having a baby.
It’s good too that you’ve been on ART for 7 months. What ARVs are you taking? And do you have access to your viral load results?
Being undetectable with a viral load below 50 copies/mL means that HIV is untransmittable even if you don’t use condoms. Please see U=U here.
But as you are on ART, the risk to your girlfriend should be lower. But it would be good to find out what your viral load result is to check if it’s below 50 copies/mL.
my girl friend is 3 months pregnant, i have been on treatment for 7 month can she still catch hiv or is the risk lower?
Hi Manpreet,
Do you mean you conceived just a few days ago? Or are you talking about a previous pregnancy.
However, as Angelina says on this question, it is very common for someone to still be negative even if they have not been using condoms with someone who is HIV positive. HIV is quite a difficult virus to catch, so your negative result is also related to good luck.
Has your husband started HIV treatment (ART)? There’s a lot of info in this Introduction to ART.
And here’s the guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health.
Hi!, my husband is HIV reactive and i am non reactive . during my pregnancy i got checked 2 times for HIV status ,,and it comes non reactive.. my husband came to know about his HIV just few days ago when i conceived.. my concern is that as sperm has gone into my body and i and my baby will be effected by HIV in future? And in future can i conceive again?