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Getting pregnant with HIV

A person with HIV can get pregnant naturally and have children who will not have HIV.

Getting pregnant naturally

Under certain conditions, it is possible for you to have sexual intercourse without a condom with your steady partner (steady relationship) who does not have HIV:

  • If, for at least 6 months, the amount of HIV in your blood (viral load) can no longer be detected. If you take your medicines correctly every day, the viral load lowers. After several months, signs of the virus often can no longer be found in a test, and
  • If your viral load was checked less than 6 months ago, and
  • If you and your partner have no other STI.

Talk with your HIV counsellor and with your partner if you want to have sexual intercourse without a condom.

Woman talking with a HIV counsellor.

Couple talking.

If getting pregnant naturally is not possible

If it is not possible to get pregnant in a natural way, there is another option:

If the man has HIV

The HIV virus is inside the man’s semen.

  • A specialist can “wash” the semen to remove the virus .
  • The specialist inserts the washed semen into the woman’s uterus with a syringe.

If the woman has HIV

  • The egg cell does not contain the virus.
  • A specialist inserts the man’s semen into the uterus with a syringe.

Pregnancy and HIV

A pregnant woman with HIV has to take medicines during pregnancy and delivery. In this case, more than 99% of babies are born without HIV.

You can discuss with your gynaecologist whether you can have a natural delivery. Sometimes the baby has to be born through caesarean section.

The baby is given medicines after birth.

Most doctors in the Netherlands advise to bottle feed with baby formula instead of breast-feeding, as this eliminates the risk of HIV transmission. However, a mother who has HIV and a suppressed viral load may breastfeed under the supervision of a doctor. Consult your doctor / HIV practitioner if you are considering this.

 

A pregnant woman with HIV has to take medicines during pregnancy and delivery.

The gynaecologist discusses with the pregnant woman in which way she can best deliver her baby.

The mother botte-feeds her baby instead.

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About Zanzu

Zanzu was developed by Sensoa and BZgA. Rutgers, the Dutch expertise centre for sexual health and rights, has adapted Zanzu for use in the Netherlands.