Mitera is comprised of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) physicians who specialize in third-party reproduction. An MFM’s days are spent evaluating risks, optimizing health, and helping create families. Our MFM’s have the privilege of screening surrogates and consulting with intended parents from all walks of life.
With December being World AIDS Month, it is the perfect time to discuss how the landscape of parenthood has changed for those living with HIV. Today, an HIV diagnosis is no longer a barrier to biological fatherhood or a successful surrogacy journey. The journey involves specifically working with fertility clinics that specialize in infectious disease protocols and utilizing sperm washing for a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful baby.
We’ve spoken with Dr. Gad Levy at New England Fertility Institute who has a long history of helping HIV+ patients become parents. We discuss how the process works, including detailed steps in this blog.
World AIDS Month
While World AIDS Month mourns those we lost while raising awareness it is also a celebration of resilience and scientific triumph. We can fight the stigma that often discourages HIV+ individuals from pursuing their dreams of having a family. A viral status does not dictate your ability to be a loving, biological parent.
Clarifying the Medical Landscape: HIV vs. AIDS
It is vital to distinguish between HIV and AIDS.
- HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. With modern Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), the virus can be suppressed to such low levels that it becomes “undetectable” in the blood.
- AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the most advanced stage of the HIV infection. It occurs when the immune system is badly damaged, leaving the body vulnerable to opportunistic infections.
In the medical world, we embrace the concept of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable). This means that a person with an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus to others. This concept of safety extends into the world of fertility treatment as well.
Sperm Washing and Embryo Creation
For an HIV+ Intended Father, the primary concern in surrogacy is usually: “Can I pass the virus to the surrogate or my baby?” The answer lies in Sperm Washing.
According to Dr. Lavy, before a surrogacy journey begins, the embryos must be created. It is important to understand that HIV is present in the seminal fluid (semen), but the virus does not attach to the sperm cell itself.
Here is how the process works:
- Collection: The Intended Father provides a sample.
- Washing: In the lab, we use a centrifuge to separate the sperm cells from the seminal fluid (where the virus lives). The sperm is “washed” largely free of the fluid.
- Testing: Before the sperm is used, a portion of the washed sample is tested to confirm that no virus is present.
- Fertilization: The sperm is then used to fertilize the egg, usually through a process called ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), to create an embryo.
Because of sperm washing, the risk of transmitting HIV to the gestational carrier (surrogate) or the fetus is virtually non-existent. As an MFM screening surrogates, I can confidently tell a gestational carrier that carrying a pregnancy for an HIV+ Intended Parent who has utilized sperm washing presents no risk of HIV transmission to her or the baby.
If you are an HIV+ Intended Parent, or an agency representing one, know that the medical community is behind you.
This World AIDS Month, let’s move past the stigma and look toward the future. Science has paved the way, and as physicians, we are here to guide you down the path to parenthood.
If you have questions about medical screenings for surrogacy or the safety protocols for HIV+ Intended Parents, please reach out to hello@miteraperinatal.com or visit https://www.nefertility.com/lgbt-fertility/hiv-fertility.
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