Hi Doctors;

I'm trying to find out information about the transmission risk of HIV when a fertilized egg of a +ive woman and a -ive man is implanted in the uterus of a negative woman that would continue the pregnancy (rental mom).

I know this practice is legal in US (while is most of EU states are writing laws in these months); I'm interested to know if that would be an option for a discordant couple in order to have a safe baby and keep the husband negative.

Many thanks

Anne

Implantation of a fertilized egg from an HIV+ mother and an HIV negative father into a HIV negative woman carries a theoretical risk of HIV transmission to the "rental mom" in that the fertilized egg might possibly have some HIV virion attached to it or even possibly have infected the fertilized egg although it is probably very unlikely. Having the rental mom go on antiretrovirals for prophylaxis to protect against herself against HIV infection is probably not a good idea as there may be harmful effects early in gestation on the developing fetus. I would advise against this approach.

Brooks Jackson, M.D.