The miracle of medical science now offers HIV-positive couples the opportunity to have perfectly healthy children, free of HIV. This major advance has revolutionized the reality of people living with the virus, offering new and hopeful perspectives. Let’s dissect together this remarkable medical advance that paves the way for a brighter future for the families concerned.
Understanding HIV transmission
HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, is spread mainly through unprotected sex, sharing needles or contaminated equipment, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. This virus attacks the immune system, weakening the body’s ability to defend itself against infections and diseases. Without adequate treatment, HIV can develop into AIDS, a potentially fatal disease.
Advances in medical science
Thanks to medical progress, being HIV-positive no longer automatically means that the child will also be born infected. Antiretroviral therapy (ART), a treatment that reduces the viral load in the body, helps prevent HIV transmission.
When an HIV-positive person consistently and effectively takes antiretroviral therapy, it can reduce the viral load to undetectable levels, making it nearly impossible for HIV to be transmitted to a partner or child.
How HIV-positive couples can have HIV-negative children
1. Preconception care and planning: It is crucial for HIV-positive couples to consult with HIV-specialized health professionals before trying to conceive. This ensures that both partners are healthy and that the HIV-positive partner’s viral load is undetectable. The health professional can guide on the safest ways to conceive and reduce the risk of transmission.
2. Effective use of ART: For HIV-positive mothers, taking antiretroviral therapy throughout pregnancy, delivery, and after delivery is crucial. ART can reduce the viral load to undetectable levels, reducing the risk of transmitting the virus to the baby to less than 1%. Using ART during pregnancy is one of the most effective ways to ensure that the baby will be born HIV-negative.
3. Special delivery methods: In some cases, health professionals may recommend a cesarean section to reduce the risk of transmission during delivery, especially if the viral load is not adequately controlled. However, if the mother’s viral load is undetectable, natural delivery can be considered safely.
4. Prevention of postnatal transmission: After birth, the newborn may receive antiretroviral therapy for a few weeks as a precautionary measure. Mothers are also advised to avoid breastfeeding if safe alternatives such as bottle-feeding are available, as HIV can be transmitted through breast milk. In cases where breastfeeding is necessary, continuing ART while breastfeeding significantly reduces the risk of transmission.
In conclusion, recent advances in medicine offer new opportunities for HIV-positive couples to safely start a family, sparing their children from the disease. This holistic approach, combining preconception care, antiretroviral therapy and medical follow-up, opens the way to a brighter future, where the realization of the wish to start a family no longer faces the barriers imposed by HIV.