Question
If we are both HIV-positive, how can we have a baby that is not infected?
10 November 2009. Related: All topics.
Answer
Hi
The short answer is that if you are both HIV-positive, then having a baby is in many ways less complicated than if either of you was HIV-negative.
Use of HIV treatment will depend on your partners current health, but generally, by both using HIV treatment through pregnancy and having an undetectable viral load at delivery, this should mean that there is a 99% chance that the baby will not become infected with HIV.
For more details see our HIV and pregnancy guide.
These online questions and answers may also be useful.
Best wishes
Simon
PS – If you could spare a couple of minutes to answer anonymously a few questions about this information service at the following link, it would really help us see the service is used:
http://www.i-base.info/questions/qasurvey.html
Hi Andy,
It’s great that you’re already taking HIV treatment (ART). And there is good news for couples in this situation. Please see this guide to How to become pregnant when one partner is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative.
So you have to be taking ARVs. And you need to have an undetectable viral load.
Please see this guide to HIV pregnancy and women’s health.
Am HIV positive and my partner it not and we want a child am taking my ARVs already what should I do pls help
Hi Moyanhabo,
Your partner not being on medication won’t have any impact on a childs possible status. This is because if a child is going to contract HIV it will be from their positive mother. Because you’re on meds, as long as your viral load is undetectable the risk to your baby will be minimal.
Best
Lisa
Hi I’m hiv and my boyfriend is also hiv and I’m the only 1 who taking treatment. And now we need a baby? What should we do because the last I want is my babe be infected plz help
Hi Patience,
Are you on HIV treatment (called ART)? If you are on ART and you have an undetectable viral load you cannot transmit HIV. And that’s even if you don’t use condoms.
Please see Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) here.
Please let us know what HIV meds you’re taking. And also tell us your latest CD4 count and viral load results.
I am HIV positive person and I had sexual intercourse without protection with my HIV positive partner and I am very worried about my health what do I do?
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Hi Chichi,
Are you on HIV treatment (ART)? That’s the way to have kids if one or both of you is HIV positive. Having an undetectable viral load can mean there’s a 99% chance your baby will be HIV negative.
Here’s the i-Base guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health.