Question
Can an HIV positive man still have children?
24 March 2007. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Can an HIV positive man still have children? If so, what is the risk to mother and child?
Answer
Thanks for your question which is very easy to answer.
The simple answer is a definite “yes” as being on modern HIV treatment also protects your partner.
As long as viral load is undetectable, the risk of transmission becomes zero. This means that your partner will not be at risk and the baby will be negative too.
The risk of a baby having HIV is only directly related to the HIV status of the mother, not the father.
So if your partner is also HIV positive, this is how you can have an HIV negative baby.
The i-Base guide to HIV, Pregnancy and Women’s Health includes a chapter on planning pregnancies and is available online or in print.
Note: This answer was last updated in January 2018 from an original post from March 2007.
Hi doc, I’m hiv- and my partner he’s hiv+ we like to have a baby what can we do, without option of sperm wash because we can’t affort it. Hiv+ virus is in blood or sperm?
Hi Khithane,
It can be difficult being HIV positive, and your husband may be finding it difficult to cope. He might find discussing HIV difficult or may not be sure about some issues around HIV himself. Why not read through some of the information in our treatment guides to learn more. This way you can learn more about HIV both for yourself and so you can support your husband.
Hi I am HIV negative and my partner he is positive and we do have a two months old boy and we are negative and what hurt me is dat my husband he is not surppotive, he is not open to me to know more about the virus.
Hi Jomo,
Many men with HIV do have problems with getting an erection. This might be linked to HIV, to HIV drugs or to stress related to feeling worried about sex. There’s lots of information about this in our side effects guide. Have a look there and let me know if you have any questions.
hi team i just want 2 know that HIV can cause no erection? i’m HIV positive but my problem no; my penis can not erect Please help me.
Hi Jason, please see our FAQs about this and then let me know if you have any further questions.
I have been tested hiv positive and my partner is negative,
is it possible for us to have a baby safely without either one of them becoming infected?
Hi Jon,
Can I just check – are you a man or a woman? And is your partner also HIV+?
The only way to control your viral load is to take ARVs. You can read about viral loads here.
Is it possible to have HIV negative baby if I am HIV positive and my viral load being on 456 158, CD4 on 450. Or what should I do in order to control the viral load
Hi Nkoetse, you can read our pregnancy guide online here. If you would like a printed copy please order it on our order page.