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 Paballo,
Many HIV positive women around the world who are on HIV treatment (ART) have had healthy HIV negative babies. Being on ART with an undetectable viral load can protect your baby from HIV.
There’s much more about HIV, pregnancy and women’s health in the i-Base guide.
My hubby is sugar diebetic nd im possetive i’m 1month pregnant there’s any danger to my babby
Hi Mafusi,
Please see Q5 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
Hy my partner and i want to try to be pregnant.we are both positive and taking arvs.i need advice.is it safe or the baby will be born positive?
Hi Nikiwe,
Its perfectly fine to have unprotected sex with your boyfriend, it won’t effect your baby.
If babies contract HIV its from their mothers. Therefore, this is why its important that women use ARVs. You’re already doing this which is great. Its the ARVs that will help reduce the risk of transmission to your baby. For more info, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.
Hi I’m snikiwe nd I’m also give positive and also pregnant for two months so we just have an unprotected sex with my boyfriend who’s also hiv positive would that infect my my baby plz help I’m so stressed remember we also taking arvs
Hi Sisipho, as a UK-based project I only have limited information about access to treatment in SA. Because you are pregnant and have a big viral load, it would be better to contact a local public hospital; to explain the situation. It would be better to get treatment now rather than waiting until you are back home. When you do get home, please explain everything to the doctor, in case there is an option to change to a different treatment. Ideally, viral load is best if it is undetectable when the baby is due.
Hi
I forgot my arv s in Cape Town and I’m in Eastern Cape, I’ll be here for 10 days. My viral load is high and my CD4 count is 487, I’m 7 months pregnant.
Is this not going to affect my baby?
Hi Sam,
Its not possible to say if your baby will be born positive or not, this is why babies need to be tested. You are however doing the right thing by being on meds. Its the meds that will reduce the risk of your baby contracting HIV. For more info about HIV and pregnancy, pleae see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
If you want to have sex there’s no reason why you can’t. It won’t have any impact on the baby.
I discovered that I’m hiv+ i was 5 months pregnant I started taking atroiza straight away my viral load was too high and my cd4count is 345 does that put my baby at risk of getting infected from that 5 months i never had sex because I’m worried