{"id":7786,"date":"2014-09-19T16:20:46","date_gmt":"2014-09-19T20:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/embracing-the-reproductive-rights-of-hiv-affected-couples-its-time\/"},"modified":"2014-09-19T16:20:46","modified_gmt":"2014-09-19T20:20:46","slug":"embracing-the-reproductive-rights-of-hiv-affected-couples-its-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/embracing-the-reproductive-rights-of-hiv-affected-couples-its-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing the Reproductive Rights of HIV-affected Couples: It's Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Embracing the Reproductive Rights of HIV-affected Couples: It's Time<\/b>
\nPinned to the bulletin board over my desk is a birth announcement with stunning photos and the quote, “I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him – 1 Samuel 1:27.” Next to it is a card with a photo of a couple<\/a> embracing and the words, “Thank you for believing in us.” Then a black and white photograph my teen<\/a> daughter took at a first birthday party, chubby baby arms grabbing at the birthday cake on the highchair tray. These mementos give me goose bumps. Witnessing someone’s dream come true is a gift. I once joined a couple<\/a> and their baby. As the parents ate their salad amongst the bustle of San Francisco’s financial district lunch crowd and took turns holding the baby, I looked around wishing everyone could perceive this great love. I wondered what it is like to be this child — to grow up having been so wanted, so planned for, so desired.<\/p>\n

While condoms have been the gold-standard HIV prevention method, when HIV-affected couples<\/a> want to have a baby, they must necessarily consider other options, weighing the risk of possible HIV transmission with their natural desires to have a child. Assisted reproductive technologies, such as sperm washing combined with intrauterine insemination or in vitro-fertilization, have been offered to HIV-affected couples<\/a> through some fertility clinics, but many couples<\/a> are unable to access these services due to cost or location.<\/p>\n

Assisted reproductive technologies are not always necessary. Data from recent clinical trials now offer additional options to reduce sexual HIV transmission, expanding the safer conception methods available for HIV-affected couples<\/a>. <\/p>\n

First, HIV-positive individuals who take antiretroviral medications and have their virus fully suppressed reduce their risk of transmitting HIV to a partner by 96%<\/a>, a strategy known as treatment as prevention<\/a>. Second, data from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) trials<\/a> demonstrate HIV-negative individuals adherent to taking antiretroviral medication dramatically reduce their risk of acquiring HIV. In fact, there were zero HIV transmissions to PrEP research participants<\/a> who took four or more doses per week. Based on these data, timed intercourse with or without PrEP provides effective, lower cost choices for HIV-positive male<\/a>\/HIV-negative female<\/a> couples<\/a> to conceive. When engaged in care with a knowledgeable provider, HIV-affected couples<\/a> can plan for a pregnancy where the woman<\/a>, and thereby the infant, remains HIV-negative.<\/p>\n

Even with this tremendous news, HIV-affected couples<\/a> experience stigma related to their fertility desires from friends, family and medical providers. Many HIV-positive men<\/a> in our Bay Area Perinatal AIDS Center<\/a>‘s PRO Men (Positive Reproductive Outcomes for HIV-positive Men) initiative<\/a>, based at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center’s Ward 86 HIV Clinic, report a desire to have a child. But they also say they’ve never been asked by their providers whether they want to have a child. In nearly every support group, one theme emerges: I just wish people understood. I wish people knew I can be like Magic Johnson. I wish people knew about an undectable viral load and the possibilities for having a family.<\/em><\/p>\n

The truth is the story has changed from one of risk reduction and permission giving to one of possibility and hope.<\/a> It’s time our collective knowledge and attitudes caught up with the science. We’ve arrived at new point in the HIV epidemic — a compelling opportunity to harness the available behavioral and biomedical interventions toward the elimination of sexual HIV transmission. HIV-affected couples<\/a> can have healthy sex<\/a> lives and families. <\/p>\n

The photos of the families on the bulletin board above my desk are living proof.<\/p>\n

www.huffingtonpost.com\/shannon-weber\/embracing-the-reproductive-rights-of-hiv-affected-couples_b_5774512.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Embracing the Reproductive Rights of HIV-affected Couples: It's Time Pinned to the bulletin board over my desk is a birth announcement with stunning photos and the quote, “I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him – 1 Samuel 1:27.” Next to it is a card with a … Continue reading Embracing the Reproductive Rights of HIV-affected Couples: It's Time<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2466,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-misc"],"yoast_head":"\nEmbracing the Reproductive Rights of HIV-affected Couples: It's Time - GAYFRIENDSCHAT.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/embracing-the-reproductive-rights-of-hiv-affected-couples-its-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Embracing the Reproductive Rights of HIV-affected Couples: It's Time - 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