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.

Woman talking with a doctor
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 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

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.

A woman with HIV has to take medicines during pregnancy and delivery.
If the mother has HIV, the baby will often be born by caesarean section.
The baby needs to be given medicines after birth.
The mother cannot breast-feed her child.
The mother bottle-feeds her baby instead.
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