Let’s Talk About HIV & Pregnancy

I’m Dr. Charlene Flash and I’m your HIV doctor.

First, people with HIV can have babies. And, yes, they can have babies that don’t have HIV as well.

This is an important dialogue to have with your provider, because the first thing I would do is…

…work with that woman to say, “First, let’s get your HIV under perfect control.”

And so, the space of having your HIV in perfect control is to achieve a level where…

…the virus circulating in each drop of your blood is now at an undetectable level.

Once it’s at an undetectable level, your chance of transmitting HIV to someone else, whether a sexual partner or to your as yet unborn child, becomes nil.

So, those are the things that I talk to when I’m talking to men and women about pregnancy intentions.

This video is a joint production of KFF’s GREATER THAN HIV and CDC’s LET’S STOP HIV TOGETHER. This information is shared for educational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. The views expressed are those of the featured medical professional and reflect information available to that professional at the time of filming.

Always consult a healthcare provider for any personal health decisions. The marks “CDC” and “Let’s Stop HIV Together” are owned by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services and are used with permission. Use of these logos is not an endorsement by HHS or CDC of any particular product, service, or enterprise.