Email 265: Having Children Despite HIV

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 7:23 AM
Hi Pozziepinoy.

There is something that I'd like to know. 

Have you encountered any gay guy who still wants to have a child even if he is HIV+? Did that guy try to have IVF and a surrogate mother? Or any of those things that I have read on the internet? Are they even true that its still possible to have children?

Thank you



CONTRIBUTOR’S RESPONSE 

Hi,

When the man is HIV positive and still want a baby, it is possible to use a process called sperm washing.

This involves the man giving a semen sample to a clinic. A  machine then spins this sample to separate the sperm cells from the seminal fluid. 
(Sperm cells themselves do not carry HIV).The washed sperm is then tested for HIV.

Finally, a catheter is used to inject the sperm into the woman’s uterus through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

There have been no cases of HIV transmission to women from sperm washing.The disadvantages of sperm washing are COST, ACCESS and LOWER RATE OF CONCEPTION.Very few clinics offer this service even overseas and it is not always possible to obtain this procedure, but occasionally people were funded as part of a risk reduction intervention in some places like the UK and parts of US.

Apart from the cost, one of the disadvantage of sperm washing is that is does not have a very high success rate for conception, compared to conceiving by having sex. It is very safe in terms as far as preventing HIV transmission is concerned, but it also means you will be conceiving your baby in a laboratoy type of  environment and  many people find this difficult, especially if it does not lead to a successful pregnancy.

In the Philippines, sperm washing is barely known adding up to the fact that IVF is still at its infancy. IVF itself does not have a very high success of pregnancy and most couple avail of IVF in places like Singapore or Vietnam.

I personally know quite a few who still want to have a baby despite their current condition but this is a very very costly procedure with not much guarantee for success and requires lots of paper works but having a baby despite your HIV is DEFINITELY POSSIBLE THROUGH SPERM WASHING.

Regards,

Phillip Tjr (MD)
Philippine Contributor





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