Question
Is unprotected sex safe in pregnancy?
3 July 2013. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Hi, I wanted to know is it safe to have unprotected sex when your pregnant while taking ARVs?
Answer
Hi,
Can you give me a bit more information to help me answer your question?
Is the person/people that you are considering having unprotected sex with also HIV+? If they are, are they also on treatment?
Being on treatment with an undetectable viral load will mean that the chance of passing HIV to your baby is very very small.
The main considerations around unprotected sex are
- HIV reinfection (superinfection) if your partner(s) are HIV positive. This is really only a concern if your partner(s) have any drug resistance that could affect your treatment, and a detectable viral load. You can read about reinfection here.
- Transmission to your partner(s) if they are HIV negative. Again, if you have an undetectable viral load this is much less likely. You can read about transmission and viral load here.
- Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These can pose a risk to the health of your baby, and may increase the risk of transmitting HIV. It is therefore important that you and your partners are free from any STIs before having unprotected sex.
I hope this is helpful- please let me know if you have any questions or I can help further.
Hi Fiks,
What’s important here is that you’re on meds. Your partner not being on meds won’t effect your baby. It could though affect his health.
For more about HIV and pregnancy, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I am pregnant for 5months. Found out @3months & started ARV. He is also positive, but now I have started to worry because we not using condoms & his not on treatment. Is my baby safe?
Hi Maryjane.
Are you on treatment? If you are how long have you been on it for? If you’re on meds, the meds act as a form of protection. Please see the results of the PARTNER study for more info:
http://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study/
For why someone can test positive and another negative please see Q5 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
I am pregnant and also HIV positive, while my husband is negative. Will he become positive after having an unprotected sex with me?
Hi Sandra.
You being on treatment is protection in itself, be this for your husband, or your baby. Your baby will not become infected by you having sex without a condom.
For more about HIV and pregnancy, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m and also on ARV’S. Me and my husband sometimes have sex unprotected. Will the baby be ok?
Hi Nozzy, it is okay not to worry about this. The biggest risk to the baby is during birth. By that time your viral load will be undetectable and the risk is dramatically reduced, perhaps to less than 1%.
I’m pregnant and i just found out that i’m hiv possitive. Then my Dr decided to put me on ARV’s but now i haven’t told my husband yet and we making luv regularly and i’m taking my ARV’s everyday. Is it possible for a baby to become infected in a placenta? i will wait for my answer on my email, pls email me.
Please talk to your doctor. In the UK breastfeeding is not recommended, but this can vary depending on other general health risk in different countries, especially if you are taking effective HIV treatment.
Can i breastfeed my baby after birth i am HIV positive they say you can for 6mnths