Hello Sir,

We have been married for 6 years and after 1 year of marriage we discovered that I was HIV+. I immediately started medicines. We did test my wife and she is negative. My viral load is consistently less than 53 except the first test. We are having sex now but with proper precautions: I always wear a condom during sex. Now we are planning to have a baby. We did 3 cycles of IUI but she did not conceive. My wife wants to ask you if there is a way we can have sex without a condom on a specific day and conceive and protect her and the baby. Do you see any risk in this?

Awaiting your response on the same. Thanks in advance.

IUI (intrauterine insemination) with sperm washing is the safest method in your situation. Given that it didn't work, unprotected sex is an option. Be certain to work with your HIV physician and an obstetrician familiar with HIV to consider the following: your viral load should be undetectable and your wife should utilize some form of PreP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) that would be safe during pregnancy. Finally, the obstetrician should help you both determine exactly when your wife is most fertile to reduce the risk of unnecessary exposure.

I will reprint a post on this topic from Dr. Bob Frascino that contains more information. Good luck!

-David