Getting pregnant with HIV

An HIV-positive person 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 a few months, it can often no longer be detected in a test., and
• If your viral load has been checked less than 6 months ago, and
• If you have no other STI and the mucous membrane of your mouth, anus, penis or vagina is not damaged. 

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

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 man's semen contains the HIV virus.

• A doctor ‘washes’ the semen to remove the virus.
• The doctor 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 doctor 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. More than 99% of babies are then born without HIV.

The baby will often be born by caesarean section (surgical delivery). He/she can be born naturally if the doctor thinks it is safe.

The baby needs to be given medicines after birth. 

The mother cannot breast-feed her child. The breast-milk contains the HIV virus. There are other ways to bond with your baby.