Dealing with HIV can be difficult, and dealing with pregnancy can be difficult. But having the facts about how to get pregnant safely and to prevent your baby from becoming HIV positive may help you feel more confident in your decision about whether or not to have a child. It is vital to find a doctor who will support your choices around your pregnancy and your HIV, and can help you with the correct information.
Questions to ask
- Are you on anti-ARV medications? If not, are you willing to go on them? They can decrease the risk of passing HIV to the baby.
- What is the state of your general health, and how high is your viral load? High CD4s and low viral load are what you want.
- How might you react if your baby has HIV? It’s not likely, but it’s possible.
- Do you have help if you get sick and can’t parent full-time?
Falling pregnant
An HIV positive woman can pass on HIV to her male partner while trying to get pregnant. One option to avoid this is alternative insemination. Alternative insemination can be done at home or may require medical assistance from a fertility clinic. At home, sperm provided by the partner is placed into the vagina with an eye dropper or syringe.
Medically assisted insemination (intrauterine insemination) is when the sperm is placed directly into the uterus by a medical professional, and this method can increase the chance of getting pregnant. This medical procedure is more expensive and is not available in every province. If you’re thinking about using a fertility clinic, carefully research all the services you will need and their costs.
HIV disease, anti-HIV drugs or co-infection with other sexually transmitted infections can make it harder for HIV positive women to fall pregnant. If you are having trouble falling pregnant, ask your doctor for a referral to a fertility clinic.
Your partner is also positive? Avoid the risk of re-infection
If you and your partner are both HIV positive, it’s best talk to your doctor about the risk of re-infection. Re-infection occurs when your partner becomes become infected with your virus, or the other way round. There are several strains of the virus and becoming infected with more than one strain makes it more challenging to remain healthy.
Your doctor may recommend a procedure called sperm washing. Sperm washing separates the sperm from the semen, as the semen carries most of the HIV. Once separated, the sperm is used to inseminate the woman. Sperm washing is also an option for HIV positive men who have HIV negative female partners, and the procedure is done at fertility clinic.
Healthy while pregnant and HIV+
Good health is very important while you are pregnant, and there are many things you can do to help you have a healthy pregnancy. Being pregnant and having HIV needs special medical care, so it is important to find a good doctor.
Ask your family doctor or HIV doctor to refer you to a doctor who specialises in pregnancy and childbirth who is familiar with HIV care. It is best to do this before you get pregnant or soon after.
Pregnancy does not make your HIV disease worse and HIV does not change how your pregnancy proceeds. However, a pregnancy is high risk if there is any illness or infection, including HIV. This simply means that you may have to visit the doctor more often so he or she can monitor your health and the health of the foetus.
References:
Aids.gov, Aids Meds,
