Question
Why is my husband HIV positive yet my child and I aren't?
17 May 2012. Related: All topics, Sero different couples.
A man is HIV positive since 1987, gets married and had a child who was born in 1989. Mother and child are healthy.
Is that something normal?
At the time he didn’t know he was HIV positive.
Answer
By saying that you and your child are healthy, are you referring to the fact that you’re both not HIV positive? If that’s the case, then we have had many questions from couples like you. A situation like yours, whereby a wife remains negative despite having unprotected sex with her positive husband, is not uncommon.
The risk of catching HIV relates to many things, including your husband’s viral load (i.e how infectious he is – or was at the time you had unprotected sex). Not all exposures result in an HIV infection. The other reason could be purely down to luck.
Although you are not infected, it doesn’t mean that you are protected against HIV. It is important therefore that you use condoms with your husband. I hope you don’t mind me assuming you are still together, as it wasn’t clear in your question whether or not you are still together.
As regards to your child, the reason he/she is not positive is because you were not HIV positive when you gave birth to them.
Best wishes
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